Trapped in a Snow Globe
by SaLiEnT ThOuGhTs
Summary: How did the 6th & 7th years end up trapped in a snow globe? After an all out brawl following the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match, the Headmaster & Heads of House come up with a 'creative' punishment to help ease the inter-house rivalry.
1. The Brawl

Chapter 1

The entire pitch had collectively held their breaths as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy had raced off at a break neck speed towards the tiny Golden Snitch. They were heading straight for the ground as if engaged in a Wronksi Feint. But they were after a very real prize, the Quidditch Cup, with each goal bringing their respective teams closer to the Cup.

The first through fifth years sat high up in the bleachers on the edge of their seats, wanting to race down to rush the fields, but nervous that if they did, they'd miss the big catch. The sixth and seventh years were already in position, however, much closer in their seats right near the steps leading onto the pitch.

As the two students approached dangerously near to the ground, the crowd began to stand, ready to rush the field, and nervous over whether the boys would be able to pull back into a vertical position. Luckily, they were able to, but not before Harry's fingers carefully closed around the Snitch. The older students from all four houses swarmed the Quidditch Pitch, although for different reasons. Gryffindor won, but by merely ten points.

The game had been rough. Ron Weasley had done a dismal job as keeper, allowing Slytherin to score a record breaking eighteen goals, one right after another, until Slytherin's beater, Gregory Goyle, had purposely aimed a Bludger at the redhead. Madam Hooch had only seconds to react, casting a Cushioning Charm quickly followed by the levitating charm just before he hit the ground. Harry quickly called a time out, to allow the back-up Keeper, Vicky Frobisher, to replace his fallen friend.

With Frobisher as the new Keeper, Slytherin couldn't get the Quaffle anywhere near the hoops. Harry couldn't believe how well she was doing, with no warm-up to boot. Gryffindor had scored four times in the last ten minutes. From far above the game, he could hear the Slytherins and a few Ravenclaws, who had bet against the Gryffindors, booing in the stands. Harry was smiling when a flicker of gold caught his eye. The quick jerk of his head in that general direction alerted Malfoy to the whereabouts of the elusive Snitch. The game ended only minutes later.

The Slytherins were furious. While most of the attention had been on the two rival Seekers, the rest of the players had continued the game. Just before Harry had captured the Snitch, one of Slytherin's Chasers, Robert Bole, had thrown the Quaffle toward the goals, only to be knocked away by a carefully aimed Bludger. While the defensive move was perfectly legal, the Slytherins saw it as enough of a reason to continue the battle in a more physical way. Bole was the first to act, sending a perfectly aimed finger-removing hex at one of Gryffindor's Beaters, Richard Coote.

All too soon, the stands were emptied of their anxious occupants. The older students were the first to rush from their seats to the field. The Gryffindors congratulated their housemates on the win, while the Slytherins contested their nemesis's victory. No one knew who started it, but before the teachers or students realized what was going on, the once green grass was covered by students casting hexes at supporters of the 'enemy' team. The younger students hurried to back-up their housemates, jeering and cheering them on. Curses flew and punches landed, causing broken noses, colorful boils and the occasional sprouting of new non-human appendages.

The Headmaster and his staff stood horrified as they watched the Head Boy and Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team charge the Captain of the Gryffindor team, while Millicent Bulstrode, the reserve Slytherin beater (who currently had giant bat shaped bogies bursting from her nasal cavity) sent colorful streams of light at the Gryffindor Chaser, Ginny Weasley, who had collapsed moments before from a _Jelly-Legs Jinx. _It was complete and utter pandemonium. And it was the last straw.

"Halt!" Dumbledore's voice rang in an amplified fashion courtesy of the _Sonorous Charm_. "All sixth and seventh years are to report to the Great Hall. Immediately."

All movement on the pitch ceased immediately, although not one wand was lowered. A sudden movement caught Hermione's attention. A few meters away, Harry relaxed his battle-tensed body and slowly lowered his wand.

"Ginny, Robbins, Coote, all of you; lower your wands." Harry commanded with all the authority his position as Captain afforded. One by one every member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and eventually the House itself, lowered their wands."Make sure everyone makes it to the Great Hall," he said before helping up a nearby housemate and turning towards the castle.

Heads hung in shame, the students began to help up their housemates. Hermione walked over to where Ginny was wobbling about, trying to stand.

"_Finite Incantum," _she said, releasing the redhead from the jinx. Ginny blushed sheepishly at not casting the spell herself.

"Sorry, Mione."

Hermione grinned at her best friend and offered her a hand up. "It's okay Ginny. You were just defending yourself."

Ginny's face turned even redder.

"Not exactly," she admitted, gesturing to the large Slytherin girl who was still fending off the effects of Ginny's hex. "I hexed Bulstrode first."

Hermione took a deep cleansing breath. "Now, Ginny," she started.

"Hey, you!" called an angry male voice. "Weaslette!"

Hermione let out the breath she didn't realize she was still holding. _Malfoy._

"Fix her!" he demanded as he approached the two girls, a struggling Millicent in tow.

Ginny's fading blush of shame immediately darkened in anger at the blatant order. Hermione placed a hand on the back of her torn jersey, to remind her to calm down.

Instead of drawing her wand at the Head Boy, she responded with a calm, "No."

"You will reverse the hex, and you will reverse it now!" he returned in a voice that would have intimidated most students, but not Molly Weasley's daughter. There wasn't much that could cow Ginny, especially the Ferret.

"If you want it reversed, reverse it yourself," she replied turning her back on him, intending on going to help a nearby friend who was suffering from a jinx that was causing streams of orange jelly to shoot from his ears.

"I am Head Boy, you little blood traitor, and you will do what I say!" Malfoy demanded as he reached out to force her to turn back around and face him.

Hermione's hand shot out and tightly gripped his wrist just as it touched the back of Ginny's top. "Are you attempting to physically assault a Prefect, Malfoy?" Hermione asked coolly, her grip tightening on his wrist.

Draco's eyes flashed silver in anger. "Let go of me, you filthy Mudblood," he hissed as he twisted out of her grip as if her touch burned his skin.

"What?" she shot back at him. "Is the great Draco Malfoy afraid of a Mudblood's touch?"

Draco didn't immediately respond to the taunt and the girls took the opportunity to finish getting the rest of their housemates to the Great Hall.

"What about Bulstrode?" He yelled at their backs.

Ginny turned and faced him, and amused grin on her battered face. "You are Draco Malfoy, the Prince of Slytherin, and Head Boy. Use your superior pureblood power and fix it yourself." She turned back around, "After all, it is just a blood traitor's jinx. How hard can it be?"

Twenty minutes later, Professor Dumbledore stood at professors' dais. Behind him stood the four Heads of House; Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, and Pomona Sprout. Each adult's face was a mask of anger, disappointment, disgust, and irritation as they looked on at the scene.

Before them stood the bedraggled group of students who, even after three explosion charms to get their attention, had continued to brawl. Composed of sixth and seventh years from Gryffindor and Slytherin, with a smattering from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, they were covered in mud, blood, and severely torn clothing. Many were still passing murderous glances at their opponents.

"I am shocked and disappointed in all of you!" His normally calm voice boomed and echoed against the walls of the Great Hall. "What did you hope to accomplish by pounding on your classmates and hexing them?"

He stepped down from the podium and started to walk amongst the students.

"Zacharias Smith."

"Yes, Headmaster," the boy replied with his head bowed.

"What made you hex Anthony Goldstein?" The old man asked indicting the boy whose hair now looked like wildflower had sprouted in place of his normally black hair.

Smith blushed in shame. "I…hexed him because he was trying to back out of our bet, when Harry caught the Snitch."

"How much was the bet?"

"Six Galleons to the winner."

Dumbledore looked at the other students. "Six Galleons." He shook his head. "Six Galleons."

Hermione frowned when she heard a snicker, cutting her eyes towards Millicent Bulstrode.

"You find this funny, Miss Bulstrode?" The large girl stiffened, though Hermione couldn't tell if it was from the Headmaster's question or the icy glare the Head Boy was shooting her.

"No, Headmaster."

"Oh, I thought I heard otherwise." His frown deepened. "Would you please explain to your peers why you chose to hex Ms. Weasley?"

Millicent's face looked like a fish out of water. "I…I…She-" She stopped, realizing pointing fingers would get them nowhere. "I was sore because we lost."

Dumbledore looked around him again. There were a lot of sour faces, notably a Ravenclaw, who looked incensed.

"Duncan Inglebee, you look perturbed. Care to explain? Care to explain why your nose is broken and you feel wronged?"

"I felt Slytherin was cheated," he said arrogantly. "And would you explain why you have so carefully not criticized any members of Gryffindor house?"

Filius Flitwick walked up behind him and smacked him in the back of the leg with a rather thick copy of the Daily Prophet for his disrespect.

"It was, Mr. Inglebee, because I was disappointed in them the most. I had to watch as the Head Girl stupefied as many students, from all four houses, as she could to keep them from fighting."

Hermione felt she had done nothing wrong, but was forced to reconsider as she noticed Malfoy looking at her in a condescending manner.

"I had to watch one of my prefects send a Bat-Bogie Hex at another player in spite, not self-defense and then continue to jinx other students, while the team captain from my house dueled with the Head Boy."

Hermione watched Malfoy's eyes fill with hardly concealed delight as he looked to Harry as if he himself had done no wrong.

"I watched every member of the Gryffindor team curse, jinx, hex, and physically attack members of other houses. I watched as the 'brave' members of my house attack their peers when their backs were turned."

He faced the sneering Slytherins. "Just as Professor Snape had to watch similar events as the members of his house went far past 'self-preservation' and attacked other students for the sheer pleasure of it."

Shaking his head, he looked at the cluster of Ravenclaws. "I watched the disappointment on Professor Flitwick's face as he watched the charms he so lovingly taught to each and every one of you were used by numerous members of Ravenclaw house to hurt other students.

His hurt expression deepened as he addressed the Hufflepuffs. "I watched tears flow down Professor Sprout's cheeks as she watched 'loyal' Hufflepuffs curse members of their own house."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "By mutual agreement between your Heads of House, Quidditch is cancelled for the remainder of the school year. "

Gasps of shock and outrage rose from the students. From somewhere in the back a muffled, "You can't do that!" was heard.

"I can and I will," Dumbledore bellowed. "I am also removing every house point for all four Houses. You are lucky each and every one of you isn't being expelled!"

"This has been going on for far too long. Madam Pomfrey has barely slept a wink in the last month, dealing with the consequences of your inter-house rivalry at all hours of the night. Did any of you even stop to think of the ramifications of your actions are?"

He pointed towards the huge double doors. "I want all of you to head straight to your dormitories. Don't stop, don't even speak. I want you to wash up and go to bed. Your Heads and I will decide what is to be done about your behavior. You will be notified of your punishment tomorrow after breakfast."

With heads bowed the students trudged off silently, as if in exile.


	2. Preparations

Chapter 2

Headmaster Dumbledore sat back in his chair. _Today has definitely been a trial!_ He thought to himself. While he was usually a huge proponent of letting the students work out their problems on their own, but watching Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood stupefying students to keep them from fighting had struck a nerve in the old man. "It should have never come to this." He said to himself.

"What was that?" Flitwick queried from his perch on a stack of ancient tomes to the headmaster's left.

The Headmaster shook his head, "I was just reflecting upon the day's events and how it should have never happened. It should have never gotten this bad."

Severus scowled from the dark corner across from Flitwick. "It wasn't like it was a great surprise."

Tensions had increased following the defeat of the Dark Lord. The Ministry had worked quickly to replace outdated laws supporting Pureblood supremacy and indiscriminately punish those who still supported the dangerous propaganda. The new laws had everyone, especially former Pureblood supporters, on their toes. While the general Wizarding population did not agree with Voldemort's fanatical regime, many were still hesitant to support changes in the laws they lived by for the majority of their lives.

"You are right, Severus," Sprout said. "The students don't know what to do. They have reached a catharsis. On one hand, we have the children of the Death Eaters and their supporters who have been taught nothing but hate. On the other, students whose families supported the Order, and even those who remained neutral, are just as prejudiced against those from the other side. They don't follow the Dark Lord or his hateful propaganda, but they are having serious difficulties letting go of those prejudices. I mean, none of us could really expect for them to let go of the rivalries that were born and bred in this very castle."

"True, too true." McGonagall said, an idea beginning to form in her head. "The younger students look up to the older ones as models of behavior. We cannot have the older student s modeling this type of disgraceful behavior!"

Snape snorted. "What do want us to do, Minerva? Lock them away so the younger children can't learn their naughty ways?"

Dumbledore's eye twinkled as an idea began to form. "What a wonderful idea, Severus!"

"What?" The Heads said together in disbelief.

The old man stood and smiled. "It is brilliant, Severus, truly inspired! We will remove the sixth and seventh years from the rest of the younger students."

"What are you going to do with them, Albus?" Snape asked sarcastically. "Lock them in the dungeons and throw away the keys?"

"Of course not!" Both Dumbledore and McGonagall said at the same time.

"What would they learn if we just locked them away?" The Headmaster asked the others. "Come, follow me."

Dumbledore led the Heads of House into an empty chamber that was ten meters by ten meters.

"You might want to stand back," he warned as he approached the center of the room.

From the folds of his robes he withdrew a black velvet pouch. The Heads watched in awe as he pulled a crystal sphere, about half the size of the crystal viewing spheres that Trelawney used in Divination. Instead of appearing a translucent white, it was perfectly clear, with a bit of gold flecks at the bottom. He shook the ball, as though it were a Muggle snow globe and placed it in a small concave dip in the floor and quickly backed away.

"Is that what I think it is, Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva. It is the Orb of Arbitration." Dumbledore said pleased with himself.

Hermione wandered down from the girls' dormitory after a fit-full night's sleep. She had tossed and turned and then tossed some more. It had been a long night for the bushy haired Gryffindor. She wasn't worried for herself. It was the fate of the other students that had kept her up all night.

So far, she had reasoned, no one would get expelled. She also realized that his punishment would probably be more of a learning experience than true punishment. That was where things began to get complicated for her. Professor Dumbledore was unpredictable and frighteningly creative.

She imagined how delicious a mug of steaming apple cider would be right then. Before she finished fantasizing about the warm spiced liquid sliding down her throat, a loud pop startled her.

"Good morning, Miss Hermione!" Dobby exclaimed, as he handed her a mug of the soothing cider she had been thinking about.

Hermione smiled brightly. "Thank you Dobby! This was exactly what I was thinking of." She took a sip and thought of how perfect a buttered cinnamon raisin scone would be the perfect complement to her cider.

Dobby snapped his fingers and a small plate of the aforementioned scones, a small bowl of butter and a butter knife appeared before her. "Here, Miss Hermione." Dobby said, pleased to make Hermione happy.

"Oh, Dobby! You didn't have to!" Hermione said playfully, secretly pleased that the house elf was being thoughtful. She patted the couch next to her and offered him one of the warm scones.

Dobby took one and nibbled on it for a bit. "Actually, Miss Hermione, Dobby came to warn you. You have always treated Dobby like an equal and Dobby wants to repay your kindness."

Hermione froze. She was familiar with Dobby's 'warnings'. "Warn me about what?"

"This morning Professor Dumbledore called Dobby to a room with a big shiny ball stuck in the floor. He handed Dobby four scrolls to post in the common rooms of each of the Houses."

He reached into the lumpy sweater that Hermione had knitted him last Christmas and handed her the scroll.

"Dobby heard the professors talking about how all of the sixth and seventh years were going to be trapped in the ball until they learned to be nice to each other. Professor Dumbledore asked Dobby not to tell Harry, but he did not say anything about you!"

She stopped listening for a moment and scanned the document. It informed that all sixth and seventh years were requested to arrive to breakfast no later than eight a.m. and remain there instead of attending their first class. They were to bring one bag with them that held the most important things they had here in the castle with them. "It can't be the Orb," Hermione said in complete shock.

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Miss Hermione?"

Hermione sent Dobby to tell the Prefects from the other Houses, letting him know that she would take care of the Gryffindor prefects on her own.

"Put the announcements up as the Headmaster instructed, then wake the prefects. Tell them that I advise them to pack as if they were taking their houses into hiding and needed to protect them. Make sure they inform the sixth and seventh years of the importance of packing useful items."

"Anything else, Miss Hermione?" Dobby asked.

"Yes, I need you to go back to that room when you are done. I need for you to tell me about everything that is in that room. Can you do that and report back to me in my room at seven?"

"Of course Miss Hermione." He replied, his little chest puffed out in pride at his task. He disappeared with a loud pop.

Hermione got to work straight away. She did not know much about the Orb of Arbitration except that it was created by Rowena Ravenclaw when Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor could not come to an agreement over the Hogwarts admission issue. From what she understood, the Orb could trap people inside of it until some sort of agreement was reached. However the Orb worked, Hermione knew that this punishment was serious, and Dobby's warning should not be taken lightly.

"Ginny!" Hermione whispered. "Ginny, wake up!"

She crawled onto the redhead's bed and pulled the curtains as she waited for the girl began to stir. Quickly, she cast a silencing charm to ensure that the other sixth year girls would not hear what she was about to say.

"Hermione, what in the bloody hell are you doing in my bed this early on a Saturday morning!" She grouched, using her wand to check the time.

"I need you to get up and get dressed quickly. This morning Dobby found me and sent me a warning about our punishment."

She handed her friend the parchment and watched the younger girl's eyes widen as she read.

"Alright Hermione," she said. "I will start packing and wake the girls and get them going."

"Ginny, listen to me," Hermione said slightly panicked. "This is serious. Make sure that the other girls understand that they need to carefully consider what they pack. From what I understand, we could be gone for quite some time."

Ginny still didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation, but Hermione was content with the worry that she saw in the younger girl's eyes.

"Have you told Harry yet?"

"No, I can't, Gin. I sent Dobby to the other prefects and the Head Boy to give them the same warning. Harry isn't a Prefect, it would be unfair to tell him. Don't let the others know how long we'll be gone. Keep that part to yourself. I don't want them to worry them until I have to."

Ginny was fully awake now. "Alright Hermione," she said. "I will start packing. I'll wake the girls and get them going."

"Good idea. Oh, and tell them to make sure they are in the Great Hall _before _eight am."

"Will that leave Lavender enough time to pack all of her make-up?" Ginny laughed.

Hermione rolled her eyes before leaving.

She quickly went to the seventh year boys' room and woke up Ron, explaining the situation. She only hoped that Ron would understand the gravity of the situation. She would have much preferred to tell Harry, but could not convince herself to sacrifice her honour.

Before she knew it, she was back in her room, casting an enlarging charm, as well as a weightless charm, on her bag.

_Book_s! She thought after stuffing a few sets of clothes and other useful items into the bag.

"Miss Hermione, Dobby is here just like you asked."

Hermione stopped her frenzied writing. "Dobby! I am so glad you are back. What did you see?"

As the elf relayed what he had seen to the Head Girl, Hermione began to piece together what was going on. She added another book to her list. "Dobby, would you please retrieve these books from the library. If there are people in my room or I am in the Great Hall when you return, just quietly place them in this bag." She pointed at her magically enhanced bag.

"Yes, Miss Hermione. I will be back shortly." He said and disappeared with a pop.

She knew what was happening. She put some more things in her bag. When she couldn't think of anything else to pack, she sat down on her couch and looked around her common room. _It is probably going to be a long time before I see this room again._ She checked her bag to see if Dobby had brought her books. He had. She packed a few more things and began to tidy things back up. At twenty minutes till eight, she looked at her room, once more, closed the door, and walked to the Great Hall.

Hermione entered the Great Hall just as the last few students were making their hasty quickly and quietly made her way over to the Gryffindor table and squeezed in between and silent and stoic Harry and a green faced Ron, placing her 'bag-o-tricks' behind her. She quickly grabbed a banana nut muffin and poured a glass of pumpkin juice before the breakfast spread disappeared from the table. _Just in time!_ She thought as she thought as she took a huge bite of the delicious muffin. _Dang! I should have grabbed some butter too!_ She swallowed quickly and took a sip of pumpkin juice and found herself the object of her best friends' attention.

"How can you eat at a time like this?" Ron asked in a strangled voice, his face tuning a little greener as she took another bite.

She looked at him seriously after washing down the muffin with pumpkin juice. "Whatever is about to happen, will happen Ron. There is nothing we can do to change it. I don't see why everyone can't just enjoy their last meal before the sentencing." She replied sarcastically, emphasizing her point with another huge bite.

Harry grinned at her. "You're a cheeky one today, aren't you!" He paused thoughtfully. "Hey! Why are you in such a good mood?"

"Because Harry dearest," she said in mock sincerity, "I am prepared."

"What do you mean prepa…" Ron started before he was cut off by the Headmaster's voice.

"Attention." Dumbledore said in his usual calm quiet tone. He watched as the students shuddered, as if frightened by his calmness. All eyes were on him.

"Last night, your Heads and I decided on your punishment for your behavior beginning at the start of term and culminating in that disappointing _display,_" he emphasized in a disgusted tone, "yesterday." He watched as the faces of his students became whiter. "I would like for the Head Boy and Girl as well as the prefects to come with me. The rest of you will be taken from the Great Hall by your Heads to an undisclosed location. You will be given further direction once you have arrived." He stood and walked towards the doors.

Dutifully, the Heads and prefects followed the Headmaster from the Hall. The trudged along in silence until they reached a non-descript wooden door. With a serious of complicated hand movements, the Headmaster unlocked the door and ushered them in.

Hermione's fears had been realized when her eyes met with the silvery glow that filled the room. It really was 'the' Orb! She looked around the room wildly, trying to take in as much information about the room as she could. _I will need it later. _She noticed the empty glass containers that were attached to the walls. _The names of all of the sixth and seventh years appeared above the containers. Alphabetically, by House. Oddly similar to the House Points containers. _

The Headmaster drew her attention away from the rest of the room. "As the appointed leaders of your houses, it will be your duty to protect all of the students within the Orb of Arbitration."

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but the Headmaster silenced him with a quick jerk of his head.

"Should any student become a problem, you sixteen alone are allowed to confiscate their wands." From inside his robe he withdrew a long slim box and handed it to Hermione who quickly stashed it in her bag. "You need only say _'Imprigioni!'_ once you have '_Accio'ed!' _their wands, and their wands will be imprisoned in this box. Only the Heads can open the box and retrieve the wands with a simple _'Richiami!'_ No harmful spells, jinxes, or hexes can be cast within the Orb. When peace has successfully been restored to the students you may return. Until that time, you and your fellow classmates will be trapped within the Orb."

Ron was about to try to ask another question, but Dumbledore raised his hand to stop him. "I will not answer any of your questions, as you will learn the conditions of your imprisonment along with the rest of the students. I have separated you from your classmates so I could give you the box I gave Miss Granger." With a wave of his bony hand, the barrier between the Orb and the students disappeared. "I will now ask that you reach out your hand and touch the Orb."

Each of the students looked hesitant and afraid. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh come on! It won't hurt a bit!" She said as she grabbed Ron and Ginny's arms and pulled them forward with her. The others watched in horror as the three of them disappeared into the glowing mass with a wet pop!


	3. Exile

Chapter 3

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny floated slowly towards the ground. Ginny giggled happily once she realized they weren't hurtling towards their impending doom, while Ron looked worriedly at Hermione, who was looking hard at the landscape before her.

_This was definitely fabricated._ She thought as she noticed the landmass they were heading towards was almost an exact rectangle of land surrounded by water. Her eyes followed a pair of winding rivers that almost made a huge 'X' on the island. Instead of the two rivers meeting at the center of the island, they converged and circled around a second island that marked the center of their new home and their apparent destination. _An island within an island… _

Before her feet even touched the golden sand of the beach that surrounded the interior island, her hands were rummaging through her pack until she felt a leather satchel. Upon landing she sank to the ground so fast that Ron and Ginny were worried that she had hurt herself.

"Hermione! Are you okay?" Ron asked rushing to her side the moment he landed.

"Hush Ron! Give me a moment." She hissed, as she opened a rather ragged looking book. She quickly skimmed the directions. Using her wand, she muttered a few quick words before placing her wand to her head. Golden smoke appeared as she pulled her wand slowly from her temple, which she directed towards the unrolled parchment that lay in front of her. The moment it touched the parchment a map appeared.

"Brilliant, Hermione!" Ginny praised, smacking Hermione on her back.

Hermione muttered, "Thanks," and then quickly stuffed the parchment back into its leather satchel and then put the pouch into her bag.

"Where are we, Mione?" Ron asked, certain his best friend knew.

Hermione placed her hand above her brow and scanned the horizon. She could see the other students floating towards them. "Not now, Ron. I don't want to have to explain this too many times."

The three turned just in time to watch as the other prefects and the Head Boy landed smoothly onto the beach. They all started talking and yelling at the same time. Hermione put her wand to her throat, whispered "_Sonarus,_" and then shouted, "QUIET!_"_

Everyone stopped talking. Draco Malfoy walked up to Hermione and asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "What the bloody hell is going on here, Granger?"

_Demanding little git!_ She wanted to scream at the arrogant blonde. Instead, Hermione took a deep breath. "Let's all move to the shade. We don't want the others landing on our heads." Once they were safely shielded from the sun, she explained about the visit that morning from Dobby and how she had sent him to warn the others.

"That's why that filthy elf, showed up next to my bed!" Pansy said sourly.

"That _filthy_ elf is the reason that you got the head up this morning! If it weren't for him all you would have packed was a bloody mirror!" Ginny bellowed angrily.

"You little blood traitor!" Pansy shrieked as she lunged for the redhead. Draco expertly grabbed the dark haired witch as Ron stepped in front of his fuming little sister.

"Stop!" Hermione yelled as the girls struggle to reach each other. "This is the reason we are here. We are stuck in the Orb of Arbitration until we can let go of our prejudices towards our classmates."

Terry Boot's mouth fell open. "Sweet Merlin! Hermione please tell me we are not inside that damned ball!"

"We are." Hermione said neutrally.

Susan Bones asked, "What is the Orb of Arbitration?"

"It is a sphere designed by Rowena Ravenclaw. It was originally intended to be used by Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor to force them to come to some understanding over the school's admittance policy." Luna replied as she examined the leaves on the bush beside her.

"How did you know about the Orb?" Ernie Macmillian asked Hermione.

Draco smirked. "The girl practically lives in a library and you are dense enough to ask her how she knows something? Bloody Hufflepuffs!"

"Malfoy!" Hermione hissed. "You are not helping!" She calmed herself and continued. "The problem that we face with the Orb is that we cannot escape until the conditions set by the professors have been met. I unfortunately don't know what those conditions are." She watched everyone's shoulder's slump. "I am, however, certain that we will know the terms that we must meet before we are allowed to return to Hogwarts."

"What are we supposed to do until then, Granger?" Malfoy asked sarcastically as his pale form leaned against an unknown tropical tree.

"I suggest we begin to work on some kind of shelter for the students. Very few of us are equipped to handle the sun without frying, so I suggest we build a large pavilion for when the others get here. Boys, I suggest you go look for some large trees for supports. I think twelve will do it. They need to be at least ten feet tall. Girls, come with me." She ordered.

"Hey! Why are you sending us guys out?" Duncan Inglebee, a sixth year Ravenclaw, asked. "Are we just here to do your heavy lifting?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, I just assumed that none of you _guys_ were familiar with the sewing and weaving spells we need to use to create a roof from leaves. Was I incorrect in my assumption?" She looked pointedly at Duncan. "Are _you_ familiar with sewing spells?"

The brown haired boy blushed and shook his head.

"Good, follow the Head Boy. Stay on the edge of the forest so you don't get lost. We will meet up in fifteen minutes, so hurry. I suspect we will be getting the first round of flying students right around then."

She watched as they trudged off to the right. The remaining girls looked at her in awe. She sat right where she was and started to rummage through her pack and retrieved a book.

"Shouldn't we start looking for leaves and such?" the sixth year Slytherin prefect, Ursula Urqhart asked hesitantly.

Hermione finished reading the paragraph and handed the book to the raven-haired prefect who in turn read the title aloud, _"So You're Stranded: A Witch's Guide to Survival." _

"Brilliant, Granger." Pansy snatched the book and flipped through the first few pages. "Absolutely brilliant!"

"What does it say?" Padma Patil asked.

"Everything we need to know!" Hermione replied, grinning from ear to ear. "In fact, we are going to sit right here and I am going to teach you two simple spells. We will have the roof done before they find the first tree!"

Sure enough, the girls had used magic to weave palm leaves together to create a roof to cover a space that was 125 feet by 50 feet, which was, according to Hermione's calculations, enough space for all eighty students to sleep beneath. They also cut down seven more trees for supports after Luna had pointed out, in her sing-song voice, that there were no interior supports. They were in the process of marking where the poles should be set when the boys returned.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing, Granger?" Malfoy called out when she saw the girls walking around placing small sticks in the ground.

"What does it look like, Malfoy? We are marking were you boys should place the supports!" She called from across the space. "Would you mind levitating the poles, so we can get this roof up?"

Draco watched as she put her hand up to shade her eyes. _Irritating bookworm._

"I think I see the first round of castaways!" She said pointing to what looked like a dozen or so specks.

"Whatever, Granger," Draco muttered. Turning to the others he shouted, "Well, come on! We don't have all day!"

Ron smiled and replied cheekily, "Actually, we do!"

Within a few minutes the poles were in place and they were levitating the roof into place, anchoring them with permanent sticking charms. They were just in time to witness the sixth year Hufflepuff's awkward landing.

Susan counted her housemates. "They are all here, Hermione. Four boys and four girls safe and sound in one piece!"

Hermione smiled. "Good. Take them to the Pavilion and wait there. Make sure they don't wander off." She called back, pleased with their safe arrival.

The sixteen of them ushered in wave after wave of students until all eighty students were accounted for and safely under the Pavilion.

"So, what's the master plan now, Granger?" Draco asked sarcastically as they followed the seventh year Ravenclaws to the shady haven.

"Well, I am going to start by explaining where we are. I expect some kind of communication from the Headmaster by the time I finish. Does that meet with your approval, Mr. Isn't-My-Hair-Pretty-Today?" She retorted.

"You like my hair?"

"Idiot."

"I know what you meant, Granger. But on a serious note, how do you know where we are?" Draco asked.

She looked at him sideways. "This coming from the person that chastised Ernie not even an hour ago for questioning the source of my knowledge?"

He stuck out his tongue at her childishly. "Let me rephrase my query. How did you know we were going to be here before anyone else?"

"Dobby."

"Figures." Draco muttered as they approached the Pavilion. The quiet chattering ended the moment they entered. "Sit!" Draco commanded. Everyone complied immediately. "The Know-It-All here has something to say, so shut up and listen to her." He shoved Hermione forwards.

She slapped his hands away. "Like the _Ferret_ was saying," she started. Snickers filled the air. "I wanted let you know where we are. We are inside the Orb of Arbitration." Hands shot into the air as the students started whispering amongst themselves.

"SHUT UP! She isn't finished." Draco roared.

Hermione shook her head. "In short, the Orb was created to resolve conflicts. If my assumptions are correct we will be stuck here until our inter-house rivalries are eliminated."

"You know what they say when you assume something," Draco whispered in her ear.

Hermione swatted at him. "Until we receive word from the Headmaster…"

"Look!" a sixth year Hufflepuff shouted while pointing behind where the Head Girl stood.

A bright blue balloon was hovering above the sand, attached to its string was a packet. Harry ran out to retrieve it and handed it to Hermione.

The Head Girl opened the first letter and began to read aloud.

_Congratulations Students!_

_We, your Heads of House and I, would like to commend the speed with which you have erected your first shelter. I am sure all of you have questions. We hope this letter will answer most of them. As I am sure Miss Granger has explained, you are now housed inside the Orb of Arbitration. The length of your stay is entirely dependent upon each of you. So long as you continue to engage in the petty house rivalries and personal grudges against one another that landed you here, you will remain on the island on which you find yourselves. Before you start complaining, count yourselves lucky. Professor Snape argued for relieving you of your wands for the duration. _

_The Orb has been charmed by Professor Flitwick to record your thoughts and actions. The names and glass jars you noted before entering the Orb will record your progress towards peace. You all get to start with an empty jar. Every hurtful or harmful thought or action directed at another student will earn you a black stone. Helping, harmonious thoughts and behaviors will cancel out the black stones in your jar, if any, or add a white stone to your jar. Those of you who are looking for the fast track home can forget 'faking' thoughts or behaviors. The Orb will only recognize your true intentions and is immune to such trickery. When all eighty jars contain only white stones, all of you will be able to return._

_To further encourage the intermingling of the houses, Professor McGonagall has included a list of your new 'houses'. You have been evenly distributed by house, age, and gender into four new houses. Your prefects and the Head Boy and Girl will continue in their roles of authority, with the Heads as the final authority on any disagreements. _

_Professor Sprout was kind enough to design the landscape of your new home, including the flora and fauna. It is an interesting mix of Muggle and magical species. She placed four colored flag in the jungle, one for each village. Maps to these locations are included. _

_Your task for today to divide up into your groups and make your way to your new homes, where you will set up camp. _

_Have a Lovely Adventure!_

_Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Snape_

She quickly brought the second page to the front. It was a roster. She looked at Harry and he handed her the packet. Four letters fell out, each addressed to a set of prefects: Ron, Susan, Luna, Morag MacDougal; Pansy, Terry, Ginny, Steven Cadwallender; Ernie, Padma, Jack Sloper, and Ursula Urqhart, and Hermione, Draco, Duncan Inglebee, and Melinda Bobbin.

Each group took turns reading, aloud, those students who would be in their group. As Harry departed with Ernie's group, he looked at Hermione and called out, "I guess we're off then. Don't kill the Ferret or we'll never get out of here."

Draco frowned and Hermione grinned as they watched the last of the groups troop off into the woods. Draco turned back and looked at the students that were left behind. "I guess that means the lot of you are with us." His eyes settled on Neville. "Oh, sweet Merlin! Not Longbottom!" he moaned.

Hermione smacked him across the back of his head. "Have you forgotten why we are here, Malfoy?"

She faced her group. "Just so that I can put names with faces, I am going to call your names, please raise your hand or say something so that I know it is you. Let's see. "Now, I know Hannah, Lisa, Millicent, Neville, Zacharias, Anthony, Vincent, and Colin."

"Melinda Bobbin. Your family owns the apothecaries in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, right?" She asked the sixth year Hufflepuff Prefect.

The pretty girl with the lavender eyes nodded.

"Duncan Ingleebee, you and Grant Page play Quidditch for Ravenclaw. A Keeper and a Beater, I think."

The strawberry blonde boy grinned proudly. "A better Keeper than Weasley!" he boasted.

Hermione could have sworn she heard Draco snort. "Unfortunately, I am sure that was true about the last game." She replied playfully.

"Orla Quirke, Quirke. Professor Flitwick is always talking about you in charms." Tight blonde curls bounced as Orla nodded and blushed

"Juliet Montague. Your older brother, Graham, was a Slytherin chaser until he graduated last year." The Slytherin girl raised an eyebrow, regally, in acknowledgement.

"I am not sure I know much about the rest of you, except what houses you were in."

"I'm Carl Huntington, I am a sixth year and play Chaser for Hufflepuff," the tall ebony skinned boy said stepping forward to shake Hermione's hand.

An extremely petite brunette with pin straight hair said, "Linda Tangier, sixth year Hufflepuff," so quietly that Hermione almost missed it.

"My name is Madelyn, Madelyn Gracey, but everyone just calls me Maddie," a slender girl with ice blue eyes and long curly dirty blonde hair announced a little too cheerfully. She had already removed her blazer and her maroon and gold tie proclaimed her house for her, while her eyes announced her interest in the tall boy with longish brown hair and golden eyes. "I transferred here from America this fall."

"Talion Yeats, Slytherin," he said simply.

Draco threw his hands up in exasperation. "Are you done yet, Granger?" he complained. "We still have to find this bloody camp of ours."

"Fine, you bloody _prat_!" She stomped to her bag and grabbed her things, starting off in the direction her map pointed her. "Let's go!"

Two hours later, Hermione looked at her map again. _According to the map, the flag should be just beyond the next bend. I sure hope it is, because I am going to drown Malfoy in this bloody river if it isn't. I don't know how much more I can stand._

The group rounded the bend. Thankfully, the vegetation thinned and a Kelly green flag came into view. _Thank Merlin!_

"Finally! I thought we would never make it!" Draco bellowed when they reached the clearing.

"Quit bitching, Malfoy." Hermione said, sitting on a fallen log that lay in the shade. "You haven't stopped since we got here."

Malfoy smirked. "It was the only thing I could think of to shake that bloody optimism of yours. You seem to think our exile is the best thing to happen since you got Head Girl."

"As a matter of fact, I do." Hermione said pulling out a sketchbook. "This is a perfect opportunity to put aside the animosity amongst the older students."

"A bit optimistic don't you think? You do realize that we could be trapped here forever, don't you?" When she didn't respond, he decided to prove his point. Turning to the other students he asked, "How many of you hate, and that's hate, with a capital 'H', at least one person on this island?" Every single person raised their hand. "See what I mean?"

"I do." She said, as she continued sketching.

"How can you be so calm?" He asked, a confused look on his face.

"Because I realize that the children of some of the most influential figures in the British magical community are on this island. I also realize that if our generation continues in this direction, it won't matter that Harry defeated Voldemort. The Pureblood supremacy that many Pureblooded children, you included, were taught from the cradle will continue what he couldn't. Can't you see the bigger picture?"

"Can't you see that we could live the rest of our lives on this island? That Potter may never get the chance to even see a Voldemort free world?" Draco shot back.

Hermione grabbed his sleeve and dragged him off into the forest where the others couldn't hear them. Once they were safely out of earshot, she tried to explain the reality of their situation.

"What you and the rest of them don't know is that time passes differently in the Orb. For every day we spend in here, only a minute passes in the real world. Three months here is only a day back home. We could be here for a very long time, twenty years, and lose only three months in reality. Are you comprehending what I am saying?"

He just looked at her trying to absorb what she was saying.

"We have to make the most of what the Headmaster has done for us. We have to make the best of our time here." Hermione gave him a moment.

Draco thought for a moment. "I guess I understand. I mean, this is going to be my only chance to get a tan." He said flippantly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and started back to the group.

"I was just kidding, Granger!" He shouted as he jogged to catch up to her.

By the time they rejoined the group, they had a plan of action.

One of the hardest things for control-freak perfectionists, like Hermione and Draco, to do is divide up responsibilities. It was, however, the best thing to do in this situation. Hermione assigned each person to gather building supplies, gather food, or transfigure household items.

By the time their stomachs began to rumble, Draco and his hunting party returned with a delicious array of fruits and a jug of fresh water. They stopped their activities and feasted on bananas, papayas, kiwis, mangos, coconuts.

"Maybe you all should have started with plates and cups and silverware instead of beds." Millicent complained as she licked the sticky sweet papaya juice from her fingers.

"Perhaps you would enjoy sleeping on the ground tonight you fat cow!" Maddie fired back, furious at Slytherin.

Millicent picked up a coconut and hurled it at the smaller girl's head. Draco whipped out his wand and immobilized the fruit an instant before it smashed into Maddie's face.

"It seems that Bulstrode here has some extra energy." He summoned her wand using the spell Dumbledore had showed him. It flew straight from her pocket into the box inside Hermione's bag across camp. "Since you seem to enjoy physical endeavors, maybe you would enjoy helping with the building process without magic."

"What did you do with my wand, Draco?" She bellowed at him, standing up as quickly as she could considering her size.

"It doesn't matter what I did with your wand, _Millicent_, as you will not need it for the rest of the week. Violence towards others will not be tolerated while on this island." He said firmly.

She stalked off to the fallen log on the other side of the clearing.

"Great job, Malfoy! Now we are one person closer to a mutiny!" Hermione said in a low whisper.

Draco just took another bite of the mango he had been enjoying. "No, Granger. She has to learn that the bullying that she used to use to intimidate at Hogwarts will not be tolerated here. Let her sulk. If she chooses to sit there and not contribute to the group, she will find herself without supper or a roof over her head." He looked at the others. "That goes for the rest of you as well." He said slicing off a sliver of coconut meat. "So, oh fearless leader, what kind of plans do you have for our new abode?" He asked.

Hermione's smile brightened. "Well, actually, I was going to ask for everyone's opinion. I have a few design ideas, but I haven't settled on one yet." She pulled out her sketch book.

Forty-five minutes later, they had decided on creating one large gathering space that would house a dining room, kitchen, and common room like space, which Inglebee had, oh so creatively, dubbed the Great Room.

"Where are we going to sleep?" Anthony asked. "I mean that is an immediate concern as night is our next major obstacle."

"Since it will be getting dark soon, let's find a place to set up camp so we can all at least get the Great Room done so we aren't sleeping on the ground tonight." Hermione suggested. "According to my book, creating a shelter off of the ground is key to survival."

"Break up into small groups and start scouting for a place to set up camp. Don't go more than twenty meters or so into forest, though. Look for the biggest tree you can find and hopefully at least six larger trees for supports. We'll meet back here in half an hour."

Ten minutes into the search with Granger, Draco couldn't stand the silence any longer. "So," he said, "How do you think the other groups are doing?"

Hermione looked at him, surprised by his recent streak of civility. "I don't know. I am sure Ron, Luna, Susan, and Morag are working together peacefully, but I do find myself curious as to how Padma's group is dealing with Lavender and Daphne. Those two drama queens are probably making their lives miserable," she said with as small laugh.

"Yeah, I'll bet the others are putting bets on who will win that cat fight!" Draco said amused by the thought of the two of them going at each other. "I'll bet Looney is driving Blaise insane! She is extremely perceptive for one who appears to be that out of touch with reality and Blaise is about as detached as one can be and still be considered alive."

"You know she has a name, Malfoy." She chided gently.

"So do I," he said.

She stopped walking. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you mean, 'What does that mean'?" He queried seriously. "My name is Draco Abraxas Malfoy."

"And…?" She fiddled with a brightly colored blossom.

"And, maybe you could call me by my first name, instead of using my surname."

"Why?"

"Why not?" He said getting slightly irritated. "What's with answering all my questions with questions?"

"I am just trying to figure you out." Hermione bent over to sniff the blossom. _It smells divine._

"What's to figure out?" He said leaning against the smooth bark of a large tree. "You said we should make the most out of this _adventure_ and try to put aside our grudges. The way I see it, calling each other by our first names instead of our last names could be seen as 'Step One'."

"Okay then, Draco." She said sticking out her hand for him to shake.

He took her hand and shook it. "Okay, then Hermione."

"We had better get back to camp." She said, slowly withdrawing her hand.

Back at camp, the others were talking excitedly amongst themselves. Neville noticed them exiting the forest. "Hermione! Malfoy! We found the perfect place! Come see," the normally shy boy excitedly led them into the forest.

Within minutes they came upon one of the largest trees Hermione had ever seen. "Goodness, Neville! I think you are right. This tree is huge! It will be perfect for the Great Room."

Draco looked around. "Are there enough trees to support the Great Room? Are they far enough apart?"

The dark-haired boy nodded excitedly and sent six of the others to stand by the trees that would support the space.

Draco looked at where Duncan and Zacharias stood. He mentally pictured a giant bamboo dwelling in the trees. "I think it could work. Why don't you take them back to camp Neville? Hermione can show you the spells needed to create the walls and roof of the Great Room. I will take measurements and meet you all there." Everyone looked shocked as his use of the two Gryffindors' given names.

"_Accio, Firebolt!_" he called. When his broom came whizzing thought the forest and landed in his hand, he noticed the circle of shocked faces. "What are you looking at, you half-wits? We don't have all day!"

The group started back to camp. He caught Hermione's eye when she looked back and he winked.

"Prat!" He heard echoing through the trees as he took off.

By the time Draco returned to camp with the measurements, Hermione had taught everyone the spells they needed. There were neat piles of roof sections, wall panels, and floor boards all in three meter by three meter pieces. He was pleased to see that the sections of floor boards were at least four centimeters thick, so they would be strong enough to hold everyone's weight. He inspected the bamboo wall panels and noticed they were alternating the placement so that the first one was right-side up and the next was upside down so that there were no gaps where the bamboo tapered off. _Clever. _

"Hermione, take a break and show me your plans for the Great Room now that I have some measurements." He called to the bushy-haired girl.

She stopped what she was doing and left the work in Anthony and Steven's capable hands. "Alright, Mal-Draco, here is what I've got." She showed him her sketch.

"That's not going to work." He said decisively after a few minutes. "There is a tree there. You wouldn't want a tree in the middle of the table, would you." He grabbed the pencil from her hand. "If we center the room on the tree," he said scribbling a circle in the middle of her room and then sketching the exterior into a hexagon with two sides longer than the other four. "and make the room into this shape, we can use this half for a dining room and a place to store and prepare food." He sketched in four tables in the space made by the point at the top and then a long rectangle along the elongated side below it to the right. "The other point can be used to make an indoor common room. And on the side opposite the kitchen can be used for an outdoor space to relax in."

Hermione watched his concentration as he added measurements to the design he had sketched over her original floor plan. It was interesting to see him so involved in a task. She was impressed with his design, in fact, she liked better than her own. "I like it."

He looked up from his work and smiled a genuine smile. "Really? You aren't pissed that I didn't like yours?"

"Nope. To tell the truth, I was just thinking how I liked yours better." She stood and smiled back at him. "Let me know your final measurements. Right now we are making everything in 3 meter wide panels."

He watched her rejoin the boys making the bamboo walls and then started back on his measurements. Just as he finished his math, he stopped and smiled. _I finally did something better than Hermione!_

By the time it got dark, they had accomplished more than Hermione had hoped for. She and the girls had levitated the four large sections of floor five meters off the ground, while Draco directed the guys as they magically attached the support beams from each of the corners of the hexagonally shaped floor back into the tree, as well as a few at various intervals for additional support. Juliet had fashioned a rope ladder so the girls could climb up onto the platform and wait until the boys came back with the wall and roof panels. The girls happily chatted while attaching the bamboo walls to the floor. No one was as happy to see those walls go up as Hermione, who was deathly afraid of heights.

When the sun began to set, Millicent appeared carrying everyone's belongs. She didn't say a word as she maneuvered her way up the rope ladder. She just laid the bags on the floor and started back down disappearing into the trees. Just as they were placing the last roof panel in place, she reappeared with the rest of the fruit Draco's group had gathered and the water jug that had been refilled. She was about to go back down when Maddie put her hand on her shoulder and said, "I forgive you, Millicent. I shouldn't' have taken your comment so hard."

Millicent's face lit up. "I really am sorry."

"I know."

"You can call me Millie," the larger girl offered.

"All right then, Millie. Come have supper with us." Maddie said bringing the girl back inside. Hermione had just started cutting up the fruit. She looked at Maddie's face for an explanation.

"Welcome back." Hermione said warmly, when the girl nodded indicating things were okay.

When everyone was full, and the last of the fruit was polished off, everyone climbed into their beds, exhausted. Everyone was anticipating what the next day would bring.


	4. The Morning After

Chapter 4

The horizon was still a light pink when Hermione woke up the next morning. _How beautiful_, she thought as she took in the early morning view. An early bird by nature, she quickly and quietly straightened the palm fiber sheets Juliet had made last night. _Not the most comfortable thing I have ever slept on,_ she frowned a bit, _but it is certainly more comfortable than the planks on the newly constructed Great Room floor_.

A fine sheen of sweat covered her entire body in spite of the cool early morning breeze. Standing there in just her long-sleeved cotton shirt, she felt exposed. The thick wool of her school skirt had become increasingly itchy and she had removed it at some point during the night. She had been so concerned yesterday with getting her groups safely off the ground, she had ignored her discomfort. _But I have time now, _she thought as she noticed the other nine girls sleeping soundly on their side of the room. No sounds of stirring could be heard coming from the other side.

Taking out her wand, she tried to think of the spells that she had heard Lavender and Pavarti using on an almost daily basis for the last six years. They were mostly shortening and tightening charms. All of the sudden she remembered the one Lavender had used when the temperature had suddenly dropped fifteen degrees in the dungeon one morning during potions. Hermione still suspected it was Snape's response to the girls' skirts getting progressively shorter as the end of the year had gotten nearer.

"_Alargue!_" Worried because she had never used that particular charm before, she said it a bit too strongly and the hem of her shirt fell from barely brushing the tops of her thighs to touching the floor. She smiled, loving the way she always succeeded at the spells she tried the first time.

A simple cutting charm, "_Corte!," _had her new shirt dress was cropped just above her knees and her severed sleeves slithered down her arms and fell to the floor. She was pleased with the effect as she didn't want it to be too skimpy. Only Merlin knew what they would have to do today.

Hermione made her way to the deck with her sketch book to begin sketching out a design for her room. Just before they settled down for the night, her group had decided that there would be four small huts with four people in each. Draco had demanded to have his own private quarters, so the two Heads and the two prefects got their own separate huts.

She had always wanted to have the sun wake her in the morning. _Where should I build my room so that the sun will wake me?_ Just to the right of where she was sitting was a cluster of trees surrounding about four square meters of space. _Perfect._ She grabbed her wand and cast a sprouting charm to create a limb bud on each tree. "_Crescere!_" an accelerated growth charm, made each bud grow, thickening as it went. Her face lit up as an idea hit her.

She directed the six new limbs into the center of the trees and then used the motion of her wand to direct the rapidly lengthening limbs into a spiral. When she was done, the limbs had been formed together to create a platform between the trees. It wasn't perfect, but she was sure that when she made it over there, she could use a smoothing charm or a flattening charm to make the floor even. She fashioned a rope ladder like the one Juliet had made for the Great Room and attached it to the her newly created floor before shimmying down the ladder, away from her sleeping companions, and then up to her new project. Soon, Hermione was hard at work perfecting her treetop hut. She was just about to do a private victory dance when she heard her name echoing through the trees followed by feminine screams.

Draco had left before the sun was up to gather breakfast for his group. His expedition had been successful, he had returned to the places his group had visited the day before and had easily found fruit. Wanting more of a challenge, he had decided to try his hand at fishing. He hadn't been as successful as he would have preferred, but he had caught five brightly colored fish. Upon returning to the Great Room, he had found everyone one sleeping soundly in their beds. Everyone that is, except for Granger. Before he could stop himself, he had called her name. Much more loudly than he had intended.

The girls were rudely awakened by Draco's outburst and had screeched in surprise at seeing the Head Boy standing in their part of the Great Room. Add in the fact that a few of the girls were covered in only a thin, rough sheet and the screeching only increased in volume. On the other side, the boys had heard the commotion and rushed over to investigate.

More shrill screeching. _This is going to be a long day._

By the time Hermione made it to the source of the commotion, wand at the ready, the Head Boy was trying to push the red-faced boys out of the room full of embarrassed, scantily clad females who were scrambling to get covered.

She couldn't help but laugh. Hermione laughed until her sides ached and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"I am glad you find this amusing, Granger." Draco said icily.

Hermione stopped laughing and bit her lips, trying to regain her composure.

"Where in the bloody hell were you?" He demanded.

All humor left the Head Girl. "It is none of your damned business where I was," she replied coldly.

"It_ IS_ my business where you are. What if something had happened you?" He said angrily.

She glared at him, irritated. "I am more than capable of taking care of myself," she said as she turned and started down the rope ladder.

Draco grabbed his broom and followed her. "What is your problem?"

"You are my problem." Hermione started. "Here I was have an amazing morning, when I hear my name being screamed by my irrational partner followed by a cacophony of screams. Then I get bitched out by you over nothing." She reached her rope ladder and quickly scrambled up to the floor of her room.

"All I asked was where you were."

"Um, I am pretty sure it was more along the line of 'where in the bloody hell were you'," She retorted.

Draco dismounted on Hermione's new floor. "And this is apparently where you were."

"Yes." She started a new bud and charmed it to continue to branch out in a fan-like shape to create the basis for her wall.

"Nice floor." He said admiring the living rug.

"Thank you. I messed up the first time. The limbs were too thick." She explained as new buds spread up and out. "Then I realized that they would have to be thinner, so I came over here to fix it, then…" She looked up from her wall and noticed Draco was gone. "Prat."

Draco returned with a banana leaf of fruit and two coconuts full of milk to find that she had finished the rounded wall of her hut. "Here," he said laying out his peace offering. She turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow and then ignored him. He sighed in frustration. "I am sorry." He said softly.

"What was that, I didn't hear you?" She prodded, not turning from her wall.

"I am sorry, Granger." He said a little louder.

She looked at him. "You are forgiven." Hermione took her place and ate a piece of the tangy kiwi.

He watched her as she drank from her makeshift cup. A thin trickle of the sweet juice slid down her chin and Draco had the strangest desire to lick the juice from her chin. _There must be something in the water._ He thought to himself quickly. _I have to get out of here._

"What was that, Draco?" She asked.

_Shit! I must have said that out loud. _"I have to go get the others up and about so they can get started on their sleeping quarters." He quickly scrambled up, hopped on his broom, and was gone before she could respond.

_What is his problem?_

Four hours later, Hermione was putting away her last book in her bookshelf. _I can't believe I ended up packing 38 books! _She had stashed her emergency supplies in the woven chest she had grown at the foot of her full size bed. The Head Girl was quiet pleased with the final outcome of her space.

She had woven in a few of the tropical, flowering vines into her walls and blooms appeared at odd intervals lending their sweet aroma to the natural feel of the space. She had grown four palm trees from the forest floor up through her floor so that their trunks could serve as bed posts and their leaves as her roof. At the foot of the bed, facing the sun, she had created what looked like a floor to ceiling window, but was really a set of double doors with vines for hinges. If the weather turned bad, all she would have to do was charm the branches to grow thicker and keep the rain out. She had even made a foot bridge from her room to the open porch of the Great Room. The only thing she hadn't managed was to figure out what to stuff her new mattress with to make it softer. _Well, you can't get everything right, Hermione._

She crossed the foot bridge and walked into the Great Room and headed for what would be the kitchen. Using the same methods she had in her room, she started to 'grow' the kitchen. Three-tiered vine baskets grew down from the ceiling along the wall closest to the tree to store the fruits they collected. One each for: mangos, bananas, papayas, coconuts, kiwi, and one any other fruits they discovered on the island. Along the wall with the windows she fashioned a long cabinet with three spaces for sinks. Between the first and second sinks she made a drawer for foods that was charmed to stay cool and between the second and third sinks she made a drawer that would keep things frozen.

Just as her stomach grumbled, Hermione heard footsteps behind her. "What have you done now?" she heard an amused voice ask. Smiling, she turned to face her guests. "Just a bit of gardening," she replied cockily.

"Don't you ever rest?" Draco asked as he carried in an armload of fruit. He was followed by his group of food gathers who were similarly burdened.

"No!" she said happily as she started to take the fruit and place them in her newly grown baskets.

Draco watched as he and his companions placed the fruit in the baskets. "Tell me you didn't organize the fruit alphabetically!" He said when he noticed the order they were placed in. Bananas, coconuts, kiwi, mango, papaya, and an empty basket.

Hermione blushed. "I didn't organize the fruit alphabetically," she repeated.

"Liar." He replied playfully. He dismissed the others, sending them back to their groups to finish their rooms. "Show me what you did why I was out playing 'Hunter-gather'."

She showed him the cooler drawers and the spaces she had left for the sinks. He was mightily impressed. "Would you like to see what I built?" He asked.

Hermione smiled at him brightly. "And you said I don't sleep?" She followed him to the opposite edge of the porch as her foot bridge.

Draco picked up his broom and mounted it waiting for her to get on behind him. After a few seconds and no Hermione, he looked back at his missing companion. "What's wrong?"

Hermione blushed furiously, embarrassed by her fear. "I am afraid of heights and of flying. It is the one thing I never learned."

Draco was shocked. He wasn't sure he had ever met a witch who couldn't fly. "You never learned?"

"No. I had a panic attack the first time my broom when higher than 3 meters above the ground. It went haywire and I almost crashed into one of the wall of the castle." She explained, blushing even darker. "I wrote an essay on the history of the broom and the theory behind flying to pass the class."

"Why don't you just get on and close your eyes? We'll be there before you can say, '_Wingardrium Leviosa!_', and then I will build a bridge so you won't have to fly there again," Draco offered.

"Why don't you just make the bridge now?" she asked hesitantly.

"Why don't you just get on?" He countered.

He watched her frown as she reasoned it out. She bit her lip. _How cute!_ He shook his head in surprise._ I have got to stop thinking these things to myself. Wow! I am no longer talking to myself, I have graduated to thinking to myself! How ridiculous! _

"Okay," she said and quickly climbed on behind him before she changed her mind.

He smiled as he felt her press her head against his back and her tiny arms slipped around his waist, gripping him tightly.

Before she even realized they had lifted off, she felt Draco shift as he dismounted. She slipped off the broom and straightened out her shirt dress. He walked in the doorless abode and turned sharply to hang his broom above the door. Hermione didn't notice in time and ran into him.

"Umpfh," she grunted when she collided with his chest. Her eyes were level with the last unbuttoned button. Hermione backed away too quickly and almost backed right off of his small porch.

Draco saw her just as she was about to go over the edge. His seeker instincts kicked in and his arm snaked out and yanked her towards him with so much force that she was thrown against him and the two of them were propelled into Draco's room. The back of his knees hit his bed and they both fell onto his bed.

They lay there for a few seconds, allowing their hearts to stop beating so wildly and their minds to wrap around what had just had happened. When Hermione raised her head from his chests, she smiled awkwardly and said, "Hi."

Draco smiled back, "Um, hi."

Hermione slowly slid herself down Draco's body until her feet hit the floor. Safely on the floor, she readjusted her dress.

Draco got to his feet. "I guess I should build a rail out there," he suggested in an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence.

Hermione blushed and looked at the wall. Draco's room was very masculine and very Spartan. _It suits him._ He had made the perfectly square room entirely out of bamboo. Every piece of bamboo was uniform in size. The two windows were perfect squares, and the door was cut dead center on the wall. His bed was simply four short legs holding up a lumpy mattress, and the nightstand was plainly designed. There were no decorations, no frills of any kind. She heard a soft _whoop, whoop_, and looked up to see a fan made from bamboo and some scraps of wood left over from the floor of the Great Room. She looked at him.

"Charmed," he said. "I can't sleep without a light breeze hitting my face, even in the winter."

She smiled. "Me, too. I just didn't think of that."

"There is a shock! I thought of something you didn't!" He taunted her playfully.

"Well, I was running out of creative ideas!" She said. "Would you make one for me?"

He was more pleased than he could ever remember being. "Sure."

"I'll make you bridge in exchange," she said pulling out her wand.

Before he could stop her, two vines shot out from the Great Room tree and attached themselves to his tree. He watched in amazement as the bottom was forming itself by tightly lacing the finger-width vines together and the rails were growing upwards and twisted themselves onto the thicker handrail vines. "That was bloody amazing, Granger!"

"Thanks. I have been doing it all morning, so by now it is a piece of cake." She started out and didn't feel him following her. Hermione turned and asked, "Aren't you coming?"

He saluted and grinned before following the bushy-haired witch.

When they reached Hermione's room, Draco was amazed by the 'living' hut he saw. Lavender wisteria vines circled under the eve of the palm leaf roof. The walls were a mixture of tightly woven dark brown vines, with delicate white caper blooms, vivid magenta coral vine clusters, and golden honeysuckle blooming at random intervals. _It is earthy, low maintenance, and whimsical all at the same time. Just like her._

A breeze swept past her room and straight to them. "Doesn't it smell heavenly?" She said excited to be showing her hard work off. They reached her French doors and she opened them.

Draco examined the doors, noticing the vine hinges, and smiled. "Clever." He continued into her space and knew it was all things that were Hermione. _A desk and bookshelves, Merlin, she couldn't help herself!_ "You couldn't resist the urge could you?" He said indicating her study area to the right of the door.

She blushed in response.

He examined her bed. "Random things to do with palm trees #167, simultaneously have them serve as bedposts, tree house support, and roof." He said indicating the four palm trunks that were perfectly positioned at each corner of her bed and extended up to the roof where the broad leaves formed the roof.

"You know you don't have to have clever comebacks for everything, Malfoy!" She said.

"If I did that, then I wouldn't be me!" He exclaimed.

"Would you make my fan please?" she pleaded.

Draco looked at her seriously. "I will have to have you charm some of those leaves to grow right above your bed, so that I can keep your 'live' house theme going," he said pointing at the palm tree leaves

She pulled out her wand and had a few grow in a circle from the two trees that grew at the foot of her bed.

Draco, in turn, charmed them to slowly wave up and down, like a bird's wings. "How is that?"

Hermione quickly climbed into her bed to test out the fans. Satisfied, she jumped up and hugged him excitedly before she realized what she had done. She quickly released him and backed up.

"I take it you like it?" He said laughing at her response.

"Prat." She replied as she started towards the Great Room.


	5. Making Rounds

Chapter 5

As their group finished their lunch, they headed to the kitchen.

Neville looked at the gaps in the cabinet. "What are these holes for?"

"Sinks." Hermione replied. "I just didn't have anything to use for a basin, so I just left them like that."

"Did any of you see the refrigerator and freezer drawers she made?" Draco asked the group.

Hermione blushed and demonstrated.

"Wow! That is awesome. Oh, sweet Circe, we can make ice!" Maddie said excitedly.

Inglebee spoke up, "You know, I think I might have seen some tortoise shells when we were our getting food."

Demelza was about to speak when a shake of Draco's head silenced her. _Hermione does not need to know that there are turtles currently using those shells. We can always use the meat for bait. _He reasoned to himself.

"That would be excellent." Hermione said as she imagined the shells in their place.

"Carl and I can work on some pipes to let the water and such drain out away from camp." Grant offered.

Talion smiled. "I am sure we can hollow out some bamboo and make it work."

"What about loos?" Melinda asked doing the pee-pee dance. She disappeared before she got an answer.

"There is some space in the corners of the other end of the Great Room where we were going to put the gathering space." Hannah said. "If Grant and Carl can do the pipes, I am sure I can make some showers and a few toilets." She thought for a minute. "You'd have to use your wands and "_Aguamenti!_" to flush or fill the showers with water, unless…"

"Unless you built a large basin and filled it with water." Neville suggested. "Then gravity could do all of the work."

Juliet set down her coconut cup. "I am sure I could make some dinnerware and cooking materials. I am getting tired of using these coconut cups."

"I'll help you." Orla offered and Juliet nodded in agreement.

"I was thinking about figuring out how to make softer mattresses and cushions for some chairs and sofas if someone can make the frames." Maddie offered.

Millie said a little shyly that she would like to help her.

Zacharias and Colin offered to make tables and chairs for the dining room, but Draco said they could only make the chairs and the legs for the tables, "I am making the tabletops."

"Well, if everyone is busy, I will go take a nap for a little while." Hermione said.

Everyone told her to go relax and she headed to the porch and her bridge. But instead of a nap, she found a blue balloon attached to a blue letter floating in the middle of the dining room.

_Congratulations to all of you!_

_I was very pleased, and surprised, to learn that your group was the only group to successfully set up camp last night. Unfortunately, only one of the other groups even ate yesterday. At last count, eight wands were confiscated before dinner, including Miss Bulstrode's, and another seven before breakfast. Several students had to be magically restrained to keep from harming their group mates._

_In light of this, I would greatly appreciate if Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Bobbin, and Mr. Ingleebee would go to each of the other camps and get them settled. I am not asking for you to do the work for them. If you could just teach them the spells they need to create shelter and gather food. Perhaps a task schedule, Miss Granger, to keep them on track?_

_As a reward for your success thus far, each of your group members have earned ten points for their houses back here and you are allowed to choose, as a group, one boon. Once you have decided, please write your request on the back of this missive and your request will be relayed back to me._

_Good Luck, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress & Head of Gryffindor House_

"Wow!" breathed Orla when Hermione had finished reading the letter. "I can't believe our group was the only one to eat today."

"And sleep on beds instead of on the ground." Zacharias added.

Melinda looked a bit upset. "I wonder how bad it must have been for everyone else. I wish we could have known so we could have helped them."

"No." Draco said sternly. "The point of the assignment last night was to have the groups work together as a team. We wouldn't have been doing them any favors by helping them."

Millie shrugged her shoulders. "It was their own fault, Melinda. They chose to quarrel and not work together and that was their punishment. Just like me, I chose to act out and as a result, I lost my wand."

Maddie nodded in agreement. "If Millie hadn't come to her senses and helped out I am pretty sure Malfoy would have made her go hungry and sleep on the ground too."

"She is right." Draco said seriously. "Anyone who chooses to disrupt the harmony in this group and not contribute their share will do without." He watched as Hermione stood up. "Hermione and the rest of us are going to head out."

Hermione looked at her group with pride. "Please work on the projects that we discussed. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can spend your days relaxing." She paused. "Oh, and decide on what you want as your prize, together. You have earned it. Just write it on the back of the letter when you have decided. We will be back by suppertime."

When the four of them arrived at the first of the camps, they were surprised by what they saw. Pansy, Terry, Ginny, Cadwallender, and Dean Thomas were covered in sweat as they tried to levitate a roof above bamboo support poles.

"It shouldn't have taken this long for them to do that," Hermione whispered after dismounting Draco's broom, as Melinda and Ingleebee followed suit. "It only took us girls fifteen minutes to make that humongous roof down on the beach."

"Well, I am sure you didn't have to deal with violent dueling teenagers while you did it." Draco replied in a disgusted tone as he pointed to where three students were bound to various trees. Gregory Goyle and Dylan Polanski from Slytherin and Harold Dingle from Hufflepuff looked absolutely miserable.

"I'd bet six Galleons it was a Quidditch disagreement." Inglebee whispered to Hermione.

Then Hermione noticed the others who were either lounging in the shade or barely covered tanning under the tropical sun.

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU LAZY SHITS THINK YOU ARE DOING?" He yelled in his most intimidating voice. Everyone in camp jumped. "Get your lazy arses in gear and get over here. NOW!" They scramble to get to where the Head Boy was.

Ginny looked up from where she was working and called out to the visitors. "Hi there, Hermione!"

Hermione had just enough time to wave and mouth the word, 'hi,' before Draco started his furious rant.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" He asked the group of students who had been doing nothing.

A lightly tanned brunette Hufflepuff spoke up. "Well, Marina and I were tanning, sir."

"And why were you and your moronic friend doing that?" He shot back.

"B…b…because, sir, there was nothing else to do." Sally Ann Perks whispered.

Draco pointed at the group by the edge of the trees. "Then what in the fucking hell were they doing?"

"Bu, bu, building something."

"Then why the hell weren't you helping them?"

"I am not going to be here for very long. I don't have a grudge against anybody here." She replied as tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"Well, here is a news flash for all of you little shit for brains. You are ALL going to be stuck here until EVERYONE gets along." Draco shouted for everyone to here. "From now on everyone in this camp will help out or they will starve and sleep on the ground."

The members of the group gasped in fear. They knew the blonde was not joking.

"The Head Girl will now speak to you and divide you in to work groups and you will do whatever she says. Bobbin and Inglebee will help teach the spells and charms you will need to know. Anyone who chooses not to participate will be bound like those five over there and left for the wild animals!" He threatened before heading over to the students who were restrained in the shade.

Hermione had to turn her head to hide her chuckle. _He knows there aren't any wild animals!_ When she regained her composure, she stepped forward to divide the students into groups. When she was finished, she sent them to Melinda and Inglebee with orders to learn the spells and charms that would be needed to complete their tasks. "Anyone who chooses to be disrespectful will find themselves without their wands. Now get going!"

She watched them disappear and then headed over to the students who had been working on the shelter. "What happened last night?" she asked now that they would be able to answer her questions.

Ginny blushed, ashamed at herself. "Well, once we got here, we tried to do what you just did. Those lot over there," she pointed at the three boys Draco was currently yelling at, "refused to do anything to help whatsoever. Then the younger ones followed their lead. I couldn't even go gather food because I was afraid to leave them alone in case something happened. We did our best to gather what we could, but we were constantly disarming and trying to keep the peace."

Hermione looked completely shocked. "Well, I am sure Draco had scared the shit out of them," she said indicating the three remaining students trudging off into the forest.

"Draco?" Ginny asked.

Hermione blushed lightly. "Well, we decided it would be a good example for the others if we called each other by our first names."

Ginny nodded at her best friend skeptically. "So, what are you all here for exactly?"

Draco finally reached the group. "Well, _Ginny, _Hermione and I are here to get your group squared away. McGonagall ordered us to help each group get a simple shelter up, gather food, and get the troops in some semblance of order."

"Exactly," Hermione said pulling out her sketch book. "So, what kind of camp would you guys like to build?"

An hour later, as they took off, Hermione sighed pleased with their work thus far. They had left the camp after bamboo supports were completed for a large square Great Room and for four wings of sleeping quarters. The Head Boy left them with the warning that if he did not see the shelter completed and a full supply of food and water by morning, he was confiscating all of their wands and they could spend the rest of their time on the island 'the Muggle way'.

Before they knew it, they had reached the second camp. They weren't surprised to see every former Quidditch player tried to a tree. Harry Potter, Jack Sloper, the Gryffindor Prefect/Chaser, and Mark Gluson, one of Hufflepuff's Chasers were bound to one tree with Theo Nott. Nearby, the Slytherin Prefect/Keeper, Ursula Urquart glared at the Ravenclaw Chaser, Isabelle Daniels. Next to them, Lavender Brown and Daphne Greengrass were still struggling against their binds.

With eight of twenty members bound and another seven 'drag-arsing around' while Ernie, Marcus Summerby, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Padma worked, Hermione was certain she could feel another dressing down coming from her blond companion.

He didn't disappoint. Draco started his 'get-your-shit-together-or-I-will-leave-your-useless-corpses-for-the-wild-animals' speech before Inglebee and Melinda had even reached the camp.

"I am sorry, Hermione." Padma said after Draco began his rant. Indicating the tree where Harry was bound.

"For what? Doing what you had to do to keep the others safe? Harry knew better and so did the rest." Hermione said quickly.

"Thanks for understanding. We were doing okay until we sent the Quidditch players out for food and water because they had their brooms. Nott made a comment about Harry's flying skills and it was like the Slytherin/Gryffindor match all over again. Ernie and I subdued them as fast as we could. Then this morning, Daphne said something nasty about Lavender's hair and they were going at it."

"Don't worry about it, Padma." Hermione said placing an arm around the Indian girl. "He'll set them straight." She said nodding towards the blond who had moved from the younger ones to the ones that were bound.

It was an hour before sunset when they left the camp and headed to the fourth and final group.

Draco shook his head when he saw Blaise and his fellow Slytherins lounging in the shade nibbling on fruit.

"What are you doing, Zabini?" Draco asked when he approached his best friend.

Blaise looked up at him leisurely. "What does it look like, Malfoy? I am relaxing on my own little piece of island paradise." He replied sarcastically. The other Slytherins snickered at his response.

"Where is the rest of your group?" Hermione asked keeping her temper in check.

"They are traipsing off in the forest somewhere, following that nonsensical blonde." The dark Italian answered cracking open a Brazil nut with his hands.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Why aren't you helping them?"

Blaise pointed at the hammock of fruits hanging between two trees behind him. "We gathered the food."

"How long did that take you?" Hermione asked.

"About ten minutes with the summoning spell." Blaise said nonchalantly.

Hermione looked worried. "When did you see them last?"

"They left after breakfast," Courtney Warrington informed the Head Girl.

Draco frowned. "Well get your shit together. We have to go find them, since you couldn't even keep your eye on them." He pointed at the sixth year Prefect, Morag MacDougal, "You are their leader for Merlin's sake! You are supposed to watch your entire group, not just the Slytherins," he said coldly.

When the Slytherins had gathered their things, Hermione performed a locating spell and the group headed off in the direction her wand had indicated.

They were surprised to hear the sound of flowing water before they found the group. Magical was the only word to describe the site that lay before them. In front of a waterfall was a beautiful bamboo house. Not hut, house. It looked like Luna's group had taken a page from Hermione's book, as the bamboo looked to be growing from earth, not simple put there. It looked there were even bent bamboo steps. Branching out from the main house were bamboo walkways, with arbor-like vine roofs, that led to five smaller houses. Brightly colored flowers were blooming everywhere.

"Welcome to our Secret Paradise, Hermione and Draco! Come. Let me give you a tour!" Luna said as she skipped across the bamboo bridge towards the Heads.

"It looks wonderful, Luna," Hermione complemented. "You and your group have done and amazing job."

"Yeah, Looney! It looks amazing! I can't wait to see my hut, I'll bet it's amazing." Blaise said excitedly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Draco snorted.

Luna just looked at him, her pleasant expression noticeably absent from her dreamy face. "You don't have a hut, Blaise," she said with no emotion.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, shocked.

"You and yours didn't contribute to the group," she said indicating the Slytherins behind him, "so none of you have a place to sleep here."

Blaise snatched up the bags of food from his housemates and shook them in her face. "We gathered food! I defiantly consider that contributing."

Luna smiled at him like an adult soothing an upset child. "A few '_Accio's_' does not equal contributing." She pointed at Eloise Midgeon and Richard Coote, who were fishing in the stream. "Richard grew his group's hut and Eloise was responsible for building everyone's beds. Both of them are still doing their part to help gather our group's supper."

She pointed at another pair of laughing students. "Mandy, Charlene, and Seamus made sure every hut had running water to work their loos and they are still picking berries for our supper." She pointed again. "Pavarti and Marcella altered everyone's clothes so that they would be cooler and more comfortable and when they finished that, they started to make dinnerware for everyone to use. Corey Moon helped Oliver Summers grow the huts. Leann, Michael, and Randolph created all of the furniture. Ron, Susan, and myself have not stopped listening, helping, and encouraging them. We have contributed our fair share to the group."

Blaise looked at Draco. "Tell her to make a hut for us! We are a part of the group, too," He demanded of his friend.

"No." Draco said without emotion. "She is right. You all put the least amount of effort into helping the group. In return, the group will put the least amount of effort into helping you. If the four of you want a hut to sleep in, I suggest you get to work. It is getting dark." Draco mounted his broom. "Come on Hermione. It is getting dark and I am sure our group needs help getting supper ready." Hermione walked over and mounted behind the blonde. "You and the others have done an excellent job, Luna. Keep up the good work," He said before he took off.


	6. Of Work & Play

Chapter 6

Even without the constant supervision of their leaders, Draco and Hermione's group had managed to get their tasks done and cook dinner. Orla and Juliet were quite pleased with their mother-of-pearl dinnerware set. They had used oyster shells that they had summoned from the ocean, which they then shrunk to be fashioned into spoons and flattened and cut to be made into forks and knives. Plates, bowls, and cups had all been created to match.

"They are amazing!" Hermione said as she held a shimmering spoon to the light.

"Not half as amazing as these grilled fish filets." Draco praised as he polished off his second.

"Or these turtle and kiwi kabobs," added Duncan evilly, thinking of the new tortoise shell sink basins in the kitchen.

Melinda blushed. "I just couldn't stand another meal of cold fruit."

"Well, I for one am glad!" Colin exclaimed.

While the rest of the group continued to eat, Hermione's curiosity got the better of her. "By the way, what did all of you decide to ask for?"

They all grinned slyly.

"I wanted a selection of lighter fabric so that I could make suitable clothes for this environment." Orla started.

"The five of us," Maddie said indicating Millie, Anthony, Lisa, and Talion, "are seriously jonseing for tea."

"While the rest of us were craving some variety." Hannah explained.

"Yeah, this fish & fruit routine is getting old already!" Crabbe said brandishing his fork.

"So we did what any intelligent group would do." Neville said smiling. "We compromised and requested a shipment of various seeds and plants from Professor Sprout…"

"To include both magical and Muggle species," added Linda.

"And both edible and non-edible choices, specifically those that could be used for clothing and tea," finished Juliet with a smug smirk, that Hermione had decided must be taught to all Slytherin children from the cradle.

Impressed, Hermione nodded her approval. "Very specific."

"Well we couldn't very well have them sending us anything," Millie said simply. "Besides we specifically requested that Sprout prepare the selection, since her two favorite students are in our group," she explained pointing to Neville and Hannah. "We know we will get the best."

"Exactly." Zacharias remarked. "This way everyone gets what they want. Juliet gets to make us new clothes, we get our tea, and they get some variety."

"Excellent." Hermione said as she rinsed her dishes in her new tortoise shell sink with functioning bamboo faucet. "Are the showers functioning?" she asked.

"Yes," Hannah said smugly. "Neville and I managed to build a water tower and charmed the 'hot' faucet to warm the water before it comes out."

"Good, because I was just about to go take a dip in the stream!" Hermione said rushing off towards the loo.

_This is impressive, _Hermione thought as she turned the bamboo knob shaped like an 'H' and steaming hot water shot from the shower head. _I might not have any soap, but this will definitely do. _She stepped out of the shower and realized that she didn't have any clean clothes or anything to dry off with. _Damn! I don't even have my wand. It is in my bag in the kitchen, _she thought as she contemplated the prospect of having to put on her dirty clothes. Suddenly she heard footsteps in the Gathering Space. She cracked open the door and whispered, "Psst!"

Draco stopped in his track. "Yeah," he whispered back so low that Hermione couldn't tell who it was.

"Could you please go to my hut and bring me something to wear?" She asked. "My clothes are in my trunk at the food of my bed." She didn't get a response, but she heard retreating footsteps. After a few minutes, she heard the same light footsteps approaching.

"Here." She heard. Hermione opened the door grab her clothes. She noticed an especially pale hand with long, tapered fingers. _Draco!_ In her haste, she slammed the door to the loo before he had time to move his hand.

He howled in pain as the bamboo door bounced off his wrist rebounded, slicing over Hermione's bare toes. She slipped in her attempt to sooth her aching digits and her clothes went flying. By the time Draco looked up all he could see was a pair of toned legs peeking out from under the strategically placed shirt covering her 'unmentionables' as his mother called them. Her skin was still moist from her shower, her hair a mass of wild wet curls. _I have got to get out of here before I embarrass myself. _He reached up with his uninjured hand and closed the door.

The next morning Hermione was awoken by squeals of gleeful laughter coming from the direction of the Great Room. She pulled on her shirt dress, just as she saw Juliet and Orla come bounding across her bridge.

"It's here!" Juliet said as she jumped up and down. "Oh, Hermione it is here!"

"What is here?"

"The reply from the Headmaster!" Orla elaborated. "It is going to be awesome!"

"Come on!" Juliet said, grabbing Hermione's hand and dragging her towards the Great Room.

The still half asleep girl was surprised by the atypical display of emotion she had just seen from Juliet. _That box must be pretty bloody amazing!_

When the girls reached the Great Room, Neville was sorting out the packets of parchment that were strewn across the dining room tables. _Tables? _

"Where did these tables come from?" Hermione asked as she ran her finger's along the polished surface of the one closest to her. They looked as though they were sliced from the base of one of the giant trees that they had cut down. _Just look at those rings! They are perfect._

"Malfoy made them last night." Juliet said with a frown. "How can you think about tables at a time like this! We are going to have new clothes and tea and you are mooning over some bloody tables!"

Hermione laughed at the younger girl. "Alright, so what do we have?"

Neville's face lit up. "Everything!"

"Hurry up, Neville," Juliet complained.

"Hold your thestrals!" Hannah bellowed. "You'll get your cotton in a minute and I will go and teach the two of you the accelerated growing charms you will need so that they will ripen and you can have new clothes in a few days."

The younger girl's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Hannah said. "Why don't you go get started on some designs, so you will have an idea of how much you are going to need."

Juliet and Orla were gone in a flash.

"Finally," Hannah breathed.

"Oy!" Neville called. Everyone surrounded him.

"What is it, Neville?" Hermione asked.

The large boy lifted up a blue envelope.

"What does it say?"

_Dear Students,_

_Your Heads and I were pleased to receive your request. Quite specific, if I do say so myself. Which I do. It inspired Professor McGonagall's next unity task. Although all of you can survive off fruits indefinitely, you won't have to. All of you will work together to create a functional island economy. After all, this is not a tropical vacation!_

_On the north side of the island, Professor Sprout has setup a large Greenhouse Bubble Charm. Inside, you will be pleased to find seedlings: fruit, vegetable, grain, textile, and magical varieties, waiting for your attention, as per your request. _

_In the center of the island you will find a newly created village. A farmer's market has been set up for you sell your produce. Several empty huts have been set up for students to set up shop should they like to capitalize on their unique talents. For those who excel at healing and potions, a small clinic as well as an apothecary, was stocked with everything you would need including healing texts. Most importantly, a bank was set up to get things going. Each student is going to be awarded the equivalent of fifty Galleons. Wages will be paid to those who choose to work in the Greenhouse, clinic, apothecary, and bank. Those who choose to open a private business or work at the farmer's market will earn their Galleons. _

_When you get to the center of the village, you will find all of the requirements for each position. The Head Boy and Girl will be in charge of assigning you to your new jobs at noon._

_Best of Luck, _

_Headmaster Dumbledore_

Hermione looked at her Muggle watch. _Nine thirty-two_. "I guess we should head to the center of the island and set things up, Malfoy." She said when the blond finally decided to join them. "Duncan, can you and Melinda make sure the group is there on time?"

"Sure thing, Hermione." he replied, waving her off.

Fifteen minutes before noon, she and Draco were setting up various signs and re-reading the Headmaster's instructions. Before they knew it, the clearing was no longer their own. Students from the various villages converged on the pair.

"Okay, here is how things are going to go. First we are going to divide everyone into groups and then we will deal with the groups individually so that everyone can be dealt with in a timely manner and can get back to whatever you had planned for the rest of the day." Draco explained. "First off, we need two volunteers who would like to run the bank. They will be in charge of keeping all of the financial information organized, as well as paying wages to some of the workers."

Two former Hufflepuff's came forward, Marina and Marcella Montgomery. Hermione smiled. She knew both girls and was not worried in the least about leaving them in charge of the bank.

"Congratulations, girls! You are allowed to name the bank whatever you would like." She handed them a few pieces of parchment and pointed to the small bamboo structure. "This is just a list of your responsibilities and other information about the wage system here. You can go on in and get settled. We will start sending people in, in a few minutes."

Hermione nodded in Neville's direction.

"Now," Neville began. "Those of you who want to work in the Greenhouse please form a line over here. You are going to sign up for your hours and tasks." A good third of the students did as he asked and he nodded for Hermione to continue.

"Now, those of you who are unsure or don't care what you want to do here on the island, I would ask for you to come back in two hours so that we can take care of placing you after everyone else is settled."

Over half of them turned and left. Hermione turned and smiled at those who were left. "Now, I am going to assume that the rest of you have some type of skill you would like to capitalize on."

There were murmurs of agreement. "Good. If your area of expertise is related to clothes or personal appearance please move over here." She pointed to her left where Ginny stood smiling. Juliet and Orla, Daphne Greengrass and Valencia Vaisley, and Lavender and Pavarti separated from the group. "Ginny will get you set up."

"If you intend to work in the clinic or apothecary, please see Luna. She will get your work schedules together." Sixteen students moved towards the blonde on her right.

"For those of you wanting to use your hands to build or fix things, hunt, or fish, please walk over to where the Head Boy is." A group of sixteen boys separated out, leaving about fifteen girls and three boys. "The rest of you are interesting in working in the Farmer's Market, Mercantile, or selling prepared food, correct?" The group nodded their heads in assent. "Well, let's get you settled then!" she said excitedly.

Later that evening, Hermione practically ran from the Great Room to her hut. As soon as she got inside, she placed a strong silencing charm on the space and flopped down ungracefully on the bed. The girls' excited chatter began to grate on Hermione's nerves after twenty minutes of nonstop conversation upon their return to camp from the village.

There was just something about shrill feminine giggles that drove her absolutely insane. Even in her charmed abode, she swore she could still hear their voices. That added to the stress of setting up the new economy, and Hermione was in desperate need of a break. _I have to escape!_ She thought as she took off in the direction of the path that led back to her group's stretch of beach, never noticing the silver grey eyes that followed her into the shaded jungle.

Draco waited about forty-five minutes before he mounted his broom. _There are only so many places she would go. She would never go anywhere she couldn't find her way home from. So, that leaves the river and the beach. _He started at the pool of water near their camp and followed it almost to the Pansy's camp, which was the only camp in the direction she had taken. _I guess that leaves the beach._ The blonde changed directions and flew down to the beach, landing a few feet from the edge of the jungle. Stealthily, he walked as close as he could without being seen

Sure enough, there she was. Her curly brown locks were twisted up in a messy twist. He couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sight of her smooth shoulders playing peek-a-boo with the waves. From his vantage point, he noticed something blindingly white on his right being pushed about by the wind. _Her shirt? Oh dear sweet Merlin! She is naked!_

He was shocked by the emotions that hit him simultaneously – lust, disgust, curiosity, but most of all an overwhelming desire to be in the water with her. _Malfoys always get what they want, _he thought as he began to carefully strip down. When he was completely nude, he apparated about ten meters away from her, the characteristic pop disguised by the crashing waves. Slowly, he swam towards her. He was only a few meters away when he said softly, "Enjoying your swim?"

Hermione screamed at the sound of Draco's voice. She stopped treading water and her head fell below the surface. Seconds later, she came up sputtering the salty water from her mouth. "Malfoy?"

"What, are we back to last names then?"

"You scared the hell out me! What are you doing here?" she asked as she tried to keep her shoulders underwater.

"You haven't answered my questions yet."

"What?"

"My questions. Two in fact. I asked if you were enjoying your swim, then I asked if we were back to last names."

"Oh," she said softly, "I guess I am enjoying my swim and no we are not back to last names. You just scared me."

Draco began to swim around her. "Well then, to answer your question, I was bored and curious as to where you were. You just disappeared."

"Oh."

"I am beginning to think that 'oh' is the only word in your vocabulary."

"Prat," she chided as she splashed him with water.

"So, what brings you to the big blue ocean?"

Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. "I couldn't bloody take it anymore! Those girls were driving me crazy. It was like being trapped with Lavender and Pavarti."

"They were only back at camp for twenty minutes before you left," he reminded her.

"Well, it was nineteen minutes too long!" She exclaimed.

"Whiner."

"Ferret."

After a long silence, Draco asked, "So what made you decide to skinny dip in the ocean?"

"Who says I am naked?"

Draco pointed towards the beach where her shirt dress fluttered in the breeze.

"Well…I…you see," she started

"Quite the verbose Gryffindor," he taunted playfully.

"I abhor your satirical musings. I didn't want to get my only dress wet and I _was _alone," she shot back.

"Ah, so there was a method to your madness. Did it ever occur to you that you are a witch and as such are capable of performing a simple drying spell?"

"Well Mr. I-can't-do-a-bloody-thing-without-magic, I prefer not to use magic as a crutch. I, unlike you, would not cease to exist if I didn't have my wand!"

"Really?"

"Really," she replied.

"You wanna bet?"

"Why not? What are your terms?"

Draco circled her thoughtfully for a minute. "First to use magic loses. Winner gets a boon from the loser, no restrictions."

"As long as the request doesn't require the loser to do anything illegal or immoral."

"Naturally," Draco answered lazily.

"Deal," Hermione said sticking out her hand.

Malfoy reached for her hand. Just as his fingers touched hers, a strong wave crashed over the two of them. They plunged beneath the wave, instinctively reaching for each other. For the moment, they ignored the feel of their bodies slipping and sliding against each other as they struggled back up to the surface. Another pounding wave collided with their thrashing forms, pushing them towards the beach.

Sand scratched Hermione's backside as they crashed into the bank. Draco's lean body slithered up against her, nestling between her strong thighs. As they slowly caught their breath, they began to become increasingly aware of their state of undress. Hermione could feel a strange hardness forming against her thigh. Draco began to focus on her lips, especially on her bottom lip, which was currently caught between her perfect white teeth.

_Circe! Focus on something else!_ His mind screamed as he felt himself becoming more aroused. His eyes moved to her hair. _There is nothing sexy about wet hair. _The stick she had used to pin her hair had come out and left her long curls splayed out wildly around her face. Without thinking, he reached up to move a stray hair out of face, his fingers following the strands to their tips. _I was wrong. I'll admit it. Wet hair is definitely sexy. _He continued down past her shoulder, brushing her right breast. _Morgana! _He cursed himself as he felt her shudder. Draco couldn't help himself.

He leaned down and brushed her lips with his as his fingers continued to lightly glide down her side. By the time he reached the curve of her hip, Hermione was passionately responding to his kisses. Her hands were threading through his hair as her lips fought his for dominance. It began with light nipping kisses and quickly progressed to slow sensual stokes as her tongue plundered the depths of Draco's mouth. He in turn slipped his hand around her bottom and up the underside of her slick thigh.

Hermione gasped as she felt his fingers dig into her thigh. Instinctively, she opened her legs urging him closer to the source of her frustrations. She tentatively ground her hips into his. _Better. _Keeping with the rhythm of their kisses, she lifted her hips again brushed against the warm hardness above her. She moaned. _Aah! Much better!_

Noticing the increased agitation of the girl grinding up against him, Draco roughly pushed her hips back into sand, sliding his length against her wet slit. The sound of her feral moan sent shivers up his spine and he almost plunged violently into her soaking depths when she sank her teeth into his shoulder while her hands tugged at his hair. He lifted one toned leg up his side and guided it around his back. He smirked into her lips as he felt her thighs gripped him tightly. Draco moved into position, the pressure of her heels against his back urging him forward. _Oh Merlin, I am really about to…._

Suddenly an icy wave crashed over the hot and bothered couple.

"Albus!" Snape shouted at the Headmaster as he waved his wand at the orb. "What in the bloody fucking hell were you thinking?"

"Severus, language!" McGonagall immediately reprimanded.

Snape his arms up in a defensive pose. "Didn't you see what he did? He caused the wave that _tossed them together._" He said as though there was something foul in his mouth.

"He did nothing of the sort." The agitated witch replied calmly in defense of the Headmaster.

"Yes, he did. I watched him! While he was talking to me, he pointed his wand at that bloody Orb and then Draco and Granger were…"

"Language! The Headmaster would never do such a thing." She said placing her hands on her hips. McGonagall missed the devious smirk on Dumbledore's face, but Snape didn't.

"You…you!"

Minerva directed his attention back to the scene that was currently visible in the Orb. "Besides Severus, there is no harm done. Look."

All three pairs of eyes viewed a very red Hermione Granger running up the beach towards her shirt, her unmentionables blurred for privacy while a very frustrated Draco Malfoy sat facing the ocean with his head in his hands.

"No harm done, my lily white ar…" Snape muttered under his breath.

"Language!"

Hermione closed herself into her hut just as the sun went down. She threw herself down on her bed. _Ow! This is not quite as soft as my bed back at Hogwarts. _She rubbed her sore head. _I wonder if my brain is still in there. It sure wasn't functioning down there on the beach! What possessed me to go skinny dipping in the ocean? I mean it was amazing until Draco got there. Okay, it was still amazing after…_

She flipped over and pushed her face in the pillow and screamed. _He is going to bloody well tell everyone! Great! Just great! Way to go Hermione! Now everyone is going to think you're a … a… like Lavender._

The Head Girl fell asleep chastising herself.


	7. Revenge & The Clothes Snatchers

Chapter 7

The rising sun called Hermione from her far from restful sleep. Her dreams had been filled with short snippets of what had happened between her and Draco down on the beach and a few that hadn't. She had woken up several times sweating and breathing hard, only to fall back asleep and be tortured by even more intense images.

As she sat up in her now lumpy bed, the thin sheet slid down her bare breasts. _Wait, what? _She struggled to pull her sheet up to cover herself even though she was alone. _Where are my clothes? _A quick search of her small hut revealed that _all_ of her clothes were gone. _Right down to my knickers!_ Wrapping the sheet securely around her slight form, she stomped out towards the Great Room.

When she reached the dining room, Juliet and Orla were zipping about in a new set of clothes, both of which Hermione thought could do with an extra yard or two of fabric. A bright eyed Millie offered Hermione a steaming cup of tea.

"They did it to everyone. They snuck in our huts and stole our clothes so we would have no choice but to wear what they made." She pointed at her simple linen shift. "I think they did a good job on this one. They let me pick it out from their sketches."

Hermione took a big sip. "I agree. I like it better than theirs! They look they are in little more than bikinis! Are all of their sketches so…revealing?"

"No," Millie replied standing up from the table they were sitting up. "Here, I'll go get the girls' sketches, since it looks like they are working on the boys right now."

Hermione enjoyed her tea as best she could. "Bloody girls and their bloody dresses!" She muttered.

"Did you sleep well?" Draco asked as he stepped up behind her.

Hermione could feel the blush go all the way to her toes. "Yes."

He placed a plate of fresh fruit in front of her. "I thought a bit of breakfast might help. One should never make decisions on an empty stomach," Draco said as he slid into the chair next to her.

"I'm not sure breakfast is going to help. Have you seen these sketches?" The brunette asked as she took a bite of pineapple.

"I have not, but they can't be that bad. Millicent is covered decently enough."

They sat in silence for a bit.

About yesterday," Hermione started.

"We won't discuss it." Draco said quickly. "As far as everyone else knows you were down at the beach by yourself. I was out flying. No harm, no foul."

She looked down. "Thanks." Taking another bite of the fresh pineapple that she was beginning to love, Hermione continued their conversation. "So, I see you were visited by the clothes snatchers as well." she said, motioning towards his sheet clad hips.

"Ah, yes. They seem to think that by stealing our clothes, we will have to wear their clothes." He paused as he was about to slice a sliver of coconut meat. "Now, normally I would threaten them with their lives, but whatever they are making has to be better than the wool and thick cotton of our school uniforms."

Hermione frowned. "Yeah, unless the outfits they intend for you to wear covers less than is decent."

The blonde laughed heartily. "That all depends on who is doing the looking, Hermione."

"You know it is still a bit odd to hear you call me by my first name." Hermione said with a laugh.

"Yeah, you should see your face when you say my name," he replied, with a broad smile. "Especially, on the…" Hermione's face turned pink. Draco coughed and smirked.

Millie appeared at that very moment and handed Hermione three piles of sketches. "Juliet and Orla said to tell you that you can pick a top and bottom or a dress."

"What if I don't like any of the sketches?" Hermione asked.

Millie scrunched up her face thoughtfully. "I don't know. I will go find out though."

They both sifted silently through the designs. Their faces plainly displayed frustration. "I can't wear anything in this pile. Merlin's knees, my pillow case has more fabric than any of these sketches. Everything is so…"

"Slutty."

"Actually, I was going to say unsuitable, but I think slutty pretty much sums it up as well." Hermione sighed in frustration.

Draco picked up her pile and flipped through them. "Yeah, I see what you mean." He straightened the sketches into three neat piles. "I have an idea."

Hermione raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement and nodded at him to continue.

"What if you let me pick out your outfit?"

"Are you insane? What makes you think I would let you pick out my clothes?"

"Okay, I'll admit that you don't have much of a reason to trust me. We have never really been the best of friends. What if I let you pick out mine afterward?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Anything?" She asked skeptically.

"Anything. Even a dress, if you find my choice unacceptable."

"What's in it for you?" she asked skeptically.

"Well, I have excellent taste in clothes. And, more importantly, I am a Slytherin."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

He smiled. "That little blonde running the show out there is a member of my house, and in Slytherin house, I am in charge. Period."

"Oh." Hermione paused as she considered her options. _If I don't let him pick them, I'll have to argue with Juliet and Orla, most likely for hours, and I will still probably end up with something I hate. If I let Draco pick out my outfit, at least he has good taste in clothes. Or, I could always wear this bloody sheet for eternity. _She stretched out her hand. "Alright Draco. Deal."

"Excellent!" Draco said grasping Hermione's hand. He quickly grabbed the sketches. "Go take a quick shower, Hermione. I'll bring you your clothes when the girls finish them." He turned and headed to where Juliet and Orla were finishing Hannah's one-shouldered dress.

After a hurried shower, Hermione returned to her hut. To ease her apprehension, she began to do what she did best: organize and plan. She made lists and charts for the group. By the time Draco appeared at her door, Hermione had made alternate schedules for chores and tasks for their village.

A faint knock caught her attention. "Come in," she called.

Draco opened the vine door, a pile of folded clothes neatly laid out on his pale hands. "Your clothes, Miss Granger," he announced with a smirk.

Hermione looked up from her work, a bright smile lighting up her face. "They are done already?" she asked, surprised that it had taken the girls less than two hours to make an outfit from start to finish.

"Of course, why else would I be here?" Draco asked as he laid the clothes on Hermione's bed.

The brown-haired girl crossed the small space and ran her slim fingers along the fine material. "This is the softest fabric I have ever felt."

Draco grinned, "Why don't you try them on?"

In her excitement, Hermione started to slip the sheet from her body, then stopped when she realized Draco was still in the room. "Would you mind turning around?"

Surprised that she hadn't asked him to leave outright, Draco obediently complied. He turned so that his back was to Hermione as she undressed. He tried not to visualize what he knew was happening behind him. Draco squeezed his eyes tighter when he heard the sheet slip to the floor. Though his silver eyes were closed, he could see the loose linen Capri pants he had chosen for her slide up her toned thighs and rest on her firm rounded hips. He waited a few seconds and smirked when he heard her sharp intake of breath.

"Draco Abraxas Malfoy!" she screeched, snatching at the discarded sheet and pulling it tightly to her bare chest. "What in the bloody hell is this?" she asked, thrusting the long thin piece of fabric at Draco's back.

Without turning, Draco replied nonchalantly, "I don't know what you mean, Hermione." He was glad she couldn't see the broad grin that currently graced his pale features.

"You know exactly what I mean. This…this is not a top!" She ranted as Draco continued to stare out from her door much to Hermione's irritation. "Well, look at me!"

He turned smoothly and faced her. "Yes?" He drawled.

"What is the meaning of _this?"_

"It is a shirt."

"No. This is a giant bandage."

"No. It is a shirt." Hermione huffed in response. "Okay, maybe not a shirt per se, but a top none the less," he replied, becoming increasingly aware of the rise and fall of her chest and the attractive flush that now covered her body.

"Not by any stretch of the imagination."

Draco stalked towards Hermione and turned her so that her back was against his chest. "It is in my imagination." Slowly, the sheet slipped from her loosening grip and he pulled the linen strip from her, leaning in so that his breath tickled her neck. "Let me show you," he said in a low seductive voice that made her shiver.

Her heart began to race wildly as his right arm slipped possessively around her hips, pulling her tight against his growing arousal. Draco's hands whispered across the heated flesh of her abdomen while his lips gently kissed and nipped at her neck.

Before she knew what was happening, fabric replaced his kisses on the back of her neck. Her heart skipped a beat as he crossed the ends, his fingers ghosting across her collar bone. As the fabric encased her sensitive breasts, he brushed against her sides sending shivers up her spine.

Draco's mind snapped out of its lust induced haze as he felt her shiver. _What am I doing? _As quick as he could, the pulled the ends behind her back and tied them into a bow before disappearing without a word.

Hermione stood in her hut trying as hard as she could to slow her breathing. _Just breathe, Hermione. Just breathe. In. Out. In. Out. _Her mind drifted to what could have been happening on the bed in front of her if Draco hadn't left. _No! No, no, no. Just think calm soothing thoughts. Think of the sky, the clouds, the ocean…No! No ocean! Damn. Damn him! How dare he leave me like this! I mean do that to me!_

She turned and sank into the chair at her desk. _Alright. What to do, what to do. _Suddenly, an evil smirk crossed her face. _Ah, yes. Your new outfit. _She picked up a quill and began to sketch a design for Draco Malfoy's outfit. _Malfoy should have known better than to give me the upper hand!_

An hour before the sun rose, Hermione crept stealthily across the vine bridge towards Draco's silent hut. She smiled to herself as she whispered, "_Devestio!_" Unfortunately it didn't work. Hermione began to panic until she remembered that all he had to wear was his sheet after Juliet and Orla had taken everyone's clothes the previous morning. _Oh well, _she thought to herself as she laid her package in the center of the doorway. "_Accio sheet!_" She called and quickly hurried to the Great Room.

She only had to wait half an hour for the sweet, sweet sound of Draco Malfoy bellowing out his frustration. "GRANGER!" echoed through the trees and Hermione was certain that all of the other groups had heard his irritated rant. She wanted so badly to do a little victory dance, but she restrained herself. She contented herself by finishing the fruit salad she had started. She poured some honey over her mixture for a sweet surprise. Duncan had found a hive the previous afternoon and had brought back a few honeycombs. It was meant for their tea, but she figured it would do for breakfast as well. Behind her, the teapot began to whistle. She using her wand she placed the hot kettle on the tray with the fruit salad and headed for the dining room.

Hermione evenly distributed the salad into the four lovely mother-of-pearl serving bowls, courtesy of Melinda, that rested in the center of each table. Melinda had also transfigured a tea set for each table when the crate had arrived. Hermione poured the boiling water into each shimmering vessel. She was rinsing out the cookware when she heard some of her peers enter the dining room for breakfast. She could barely contain her smile as she pictured the events that were about to unfold.

The grinning brunette was just about to savor her first proper cup of tea in almost a week, when an infuriated Draco Malfoy stomped into the dining room.

"Granger!" yelled as he advanced towards the Gryffindor. Hermione didn't even turn, she just bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from laughing as she pictured the angry boy.

Titters and giggles filled the room while its male occupants tried a bit harder to suppress their laughter behind their hands. Colin Creevey's camera clicked like a machine gun as he captured the Head Boy in all of his glory.

A Gryffindor red loincloth covered the Slytherin Prince's bits, making his already pale form appear even whiter. To make matters worse, on the seat of the loincloth was an elaborately embroidered Gryffindor lion with an elegant golden 'G'. Colin zoomed in on the design.

"Look at me you… you…Gryffindor!" He shouted pointing at Hermione's back.

"Ouch, Draco. That hurt," she mocked as she took a sip of her tea.

Draco stomped over to Hermione and spun her around to face him. "Fix it. I understand that you weren't too fond of the top that I picked out, but don't make me do the visiting rounds in this…atrocity. I don't care that it barely covers my bits, but at least make it Slytherin colors. Don't make me wear it like this."

He was as close to begging as anyone had ever seen him. For a moment, Hermione considered giving. "No," she replied simply.

His face dropped. "What? What is it that you want?"

"An apology."

"For what?" he demanded angrily. "For your top?"

"No," she said looking up at him. "I have actually become fond of this outfit." Hermione raised an eyebrow at his look of surprise. "You know what I want an apology for." She said blushing slightly.

"Why should I?" he asked.

Everyone in the dining room looked on, curious as to the cryptic conversation between their leaders.

Hermione blushed furiously. "Didn't you know you should always finish what you start?"

Recognition lit in Draco's face as he caught on to what the girl before him was saying. A smirk appeared, "I am truly sorry. More than you ever imagine. I will strive from this day forward to ALWAYS finish what I start."

Hermione nodded at the speechless Juliet who removed the glamour on the garment. The loincloth lengthened until it fell below his knees, then the color gradually changed colors until it was a nice Slytherin green and the Gryffindor crest disappeared.

Draco looked down at his transformed bottoms. "This is what you picked out all along?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course. It was only a glamour charm! I may not have liked my top at first, but after a little _persuasion _I decided that it was perfect." She took a bite of fruit. "I just wanted to make you squirm."

"Wench!" he said as he sat down next to her.

Minerva McGonagall giggled into the back of her hand. "That a girl, Hermione!"

Behind her, the door opened and Severus Snape came in, his cloak billowing out behind him. "What is so funny, Minerva?"

McGonagall schooled her features back into her infamous 'serious face.' Using her wand, she rewound the images on the Orb to just before Draco entered the dining room. She watched in ill-disguised humor as Snape's haughty façade slid from his face when the Orb zoomed in on his godson's Gryffindor clad backside, just like Colin had with his camera. "Disgraceful! Absolutely disgraceful." He pointed his wand at Hermione's jar and removed all of the white stones and added twenty black stones.

Minerva bit her lip as Snape stormed out of the room. Since only the Orb could add white stones, she removed all the black stones, leaving Hermione's jar empty.


	8. From Front Porch Chats to Playing Doctor

Chapter 8

Things were a bit rough for the first few weeks, but after that things began to smooth out. Before she knew it, she realized they had been on the island for three weeks. She was lounging on a chair on porch of the Great Room when a shadow fell over her, startling her out of her silent reveries.

"Enjoying my chair, Miss Granger?" a familiar voice drawled.

She grinned, her eyes still closed. "As a matter of fact, I am Mr. Potter."

Harry took the seat next to her. "How have you been, Mione?" He asked. "Island life seems to be agreeing with you."

"It is." She said content to have her best friend with her for the first time since she saw him tied to a tree. "It was hard to let go of the obsessive-compulsive studying disorder that I have been suffering from for the last six years, but I am adjusting."

Harry smiled. "That is good. I've missed you and Ginny," He said sadly as leaned back and slid his glasses off his face. I don't get to see much of the two of you since we got here."

"At least you see Ron regularly."

"Yeah, we stay pretty busy over at the Hire-a-Hunk." Harry laughed . "You would be amazed at the number of people on this island that want something fixed or built by a former war hero."

"I would imagine there are several half-naked girls on this island trying to think up things to get you alone in their hut."

"Yeah, no kidding. Malfoy had to start the buddy system, after Seamus spent all afternoon fixing a pretty little Ravenclaw's door."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was hilarious! The next morning he was at the shop waiting for us to arrive. You should have heard him. He must have done quite a number on Seamus, because he sends Malfoy his Patronus if a job looks like it will take more than fifteen minutes."

Hermione laughed at the thought.

"I can't believe he didn't tell you about it. You two seemed almost friendly the last time I saw the two of you together." He said turning his head towards Hermione.

Her brows drew together slightly and a small frown appeared on her face. Hermione turned her head to her emerald-eyed companion. "No."

"No to the friends part or no to the telling you part?"

"Telling me." She paused. "Well, both I guess."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not really, Harry. I am not quite sure how I feel about things right now."

"Fair enough." He said neutrally and turned his head back towards the sky enjoying the relative silence for a while.

"He just ignores me now!" She said suddenly, her frustration obvious.

Harry jumped, as her words jostled him out of his silent musings. He watched anxiously as she paced across the porch.

"First, he builds me a fan for my hut, then there was the incident in the shower. I mean yeah I smashed his hand in the door," Harry grinned, tuning her rant out for a moment, as he imagined the ferret getting his hand smashed in a door.

"…then there was the whole skinny dipping in the ocean thing," continued as she gestured wildly with her hands.

Alarm bells started to go off in Harry's head as the words 'skinny-dipping' came out. "Whoa!" he said uneasily.

Hermione stopped walking immediately, as a deep blush covered her lightly tanned cheeks.

"What exactly did you mean by 'the whole skinny-dipping in the ocean thing', Mione?" Harry asked, and immediately regretted it as her blush darkened.

"I…umm." She started, before flopping unceremoniously into the chair next to Harry, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Never mind, Mione." He said soothingly as he gently stroked her hair. "Forget I asked and I'll forget you said it. This is probably more of a 'you and Ginny' conversation than a 'you and me' conversation."

"Well, that was embarrassing."

"Yeah, but I am sure we both would have been scarred for life if you had answered my question." He said, hanging his head a little.

"What's wrong?"

Harry looked at Hermione. "I don't think you'll understand."

"Try me."

"It's just… Well, I miss Quidditch. I miss everything about it. I miss practices, the camaraderie, the games. The rush."

"You do realize that was what got us here right?"

"I know, I just miss it is all."

"I know what you mean," Draco added, joining them after checking things out around the camp. He sat in the lounge on Hermione's right. "I would kill for a good game of Quidditch."

"Maybe we could make it work." Hermione said.

"How?" Harry asked skeptically. "We don't have any bludgers or a snitch."

"We don't know that for sure, Harry."

"What do you mean, Hermione?" Draco asked as his hand started to trace the upper edge of the back of her pants.

Hermione shivered. "Well, we were all asked to pack what was most important to us. I am sure someone packed a Quidditch set." She tried to stay as still as she could as his fingers began to slide up and down her spine.

"Clever. Crabbe!" Draco bellowed. The large boy emerged from the kitchen.

"Yes."

"I need you to ask everyone in this group if they brought a Quidditch set. If not one did, I want you to go to the other villages and ask around until you find one. Tell them the Heads need it and bring them back with you."

"Quidditch? We are going to play Quidditch?" the boy asked excitedly.

Draco sighed. "Only if you get you arse in gear and find a Quidditch set!"

Crabbe disappeared and Hermione punched Draco in the arm. "Must you be such a wanker to him? Can't you just treat him like a human being?"

"Why? He is one chromosome away from being a troll."

"You prat! I should change your pants back!"

Harry arched an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Fine! I'll try to be nicer!"

"Interesting," Harry said so quietly neither of them heard him.

"I'm going to the next village!" Draco said as he got up.

"Quit being such a Drama Queen, Draco. Why don't you just wait for Vincent to get back?" Hermione reasoned. You can help Harry and I come up with the details for setting up teams and such.

"Whatever," the blonde conceded as he sat back down. "So what's the plan Miss I-Don't-Even-Follow Quidditch?"

Hermione pursed her lip in a McGonagall-esque manner. "I may not follow Quidditch, but that doesn't mean I don't know about it. Each team will need at least one Seeker, one Keeper, two Beaters, and three Chasers. I suggest we have one team from each village so that old rivalries can be kept to a minimum. Each village can hold their own try outs. We can talk to Juliet and Orla about making some uniforms."

"Okay, but what about colors?" Harry asked. "What colors will we wear?"

"Let the teams decide. They just can't choose any of our old house colors. Variation will be okay, though. For example a team can pick a light green, but not Slytherin green."

"Fair enough. I guess they can pick out names, too." Draco suggested.

"Greg brought a Quidditch set!" Crabbe said as he rushed in breathlessly with a large leather trunk.

"Excellent!" Draco exclaimed, standing so he could inspect the gear. Harry soon joined him. Hermione watched in pure amusement as she watched the boy check every item several times.

"Alright, Hermione I have to get going." Harry announced suddenly.

"Why?"

"I have a championship Quidditch team to assemble, of course!" the green-eyed boy replied cheekily as though it was the only obvious thing to do.

The two of them quickly made their way to Ginny, Pansy, Terry, and Cadwallender's group to check in and spread the news about starting up Quidditch on the island. Ginny and Cadwallender, of course, were over the moon while Pansy and Terry could care less.

Things weren't running quite as smoothly at Luna, Ron, Susan, and McDougal's camp. After speaking to Luna, Ron, and Susan about the village's progress and the plans for Quidditch, they learned about the continued refusal of the Slytherins to take part in village affairs.

The five hard-headed Slytherins were housed in what could only be described as a bamboo monstrosity. Unlike the other buildings in this village, their hut looked like the bamboo had gone insane_. It isn't even straight_! Draco said to himself. _It's bamboo for Merlin's sake. It is naturally straight! _

Draco stormed into the dwelling. "_What in the name of Circe's saggy tits are you doing?" _he yelled at his former housemates.

"What does it look like?" Blaise said simply from his hammock. "We are relaxing."

"What have you been doing for the last few days?"

"Exactly what we are doing now," the dark-skinned boy replied.

"You mean you haven't helped your group at all?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Nope. They refused to let us in their huts, so we refuse to help them."

Draco was getting more and more angry with every word. "OUT!" he screamed at his former housemates.

Out of habit, they obediently filed out of the hut. Once outside, Draco confiscated their wands using the incantation Dumbledore had taught them. Then he set their sorry excuse for a hut on fire with an angrily called, _"Incendio!_"

"What the hell was that for, Draco?" Blaise yelled at the blonde.

"Since you refuse to work with your group, you will do without your magic. You need to suck it up and be part of the group or none of you will eligible for your village's Quidditch team."

"Quidditch?" Courtney Warrington choked out. She loved Quidditch and had been a Chaser for Slytherin's team before coming here.

"Yes. Quidditch. If you and McDougal want to play you all had better get your acts together. You will report to Luna and you will do whatever tasks she assigns you. You will not say or do anything hurtful to the other members of your village. She and the other prefects will be given the final say in who is on this village's team. You step out of line and you will not even get to watch." He threatened.

"It's my village, too!" McDougal said.

"Not now it isn't. You have been a shitty leader. Even the Weasel…I mean, Ron, makes a better leader than you!" Draco said. "Until you decide what is important to you, Luna and the others have last say on everything that has to do with this village. You report to her."

"You're not serious!" Blaise hissed.

"As the grave, Blaise. As the grave." Draco said to the four as he mounted his broom. "Tryouts are on Saturday. Today is Thursday, so you had better hurry up and make up your minds."

Early in the mornings, she loved to go over to The Bakery and help Eloise Midgeon and Charlene Chambers with the morning loaves. She loved the yeasty smell of the small shop as she kneaded the dough on the flour covered counter. Afterwards, she generally took a few loaves down to Three Ladies and a Chap's Cafe for their daily use. Sometimes she would lend a hand, but they weren't very busy this morning, so she went down to The Sliver Needle to see how Juliet and Orla were doing.

"Good morning, Hermione!" Orla said from the counter she was leaning on. She laid her pen down and rushed over to hug the older girl.

Hermione grinned as Orla skipped back behind the counter. "So, how is business?"

"Business is great!" Juliet said as she walked in from the back room. "I was just renewing the spinning and weaving spells on the cotton and flax we had to buy yesterday."

"Really? Business is that good?"

Juliet smirked, "Much better than expected. The outfits we designed for our camp were just what we needed to get things going. We have had at least three outfits ordered everyday and the Quidditch uniforms."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. The two girls' friendship had surprised her. She would never have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. "How is the competition?"

"What competition?" Juliet scoffed. "That Brown twit and her witless partner, Pavarti, are so busy trying to outdo Daphne and Gloriana that their workmanship is suffering."

"So I guess that means I shouldn't go check out their merchandise?"

"No, if you want something just tell me what it looks like and I will make one for you, and only charge you half of what they are."

"Ever the Slytherin," Hermione remarked with a smile. "Well then, I am off to check on the Mercantile."

"Bye, Hermione!" The girls called as she walked out onto the sandy street.

Hermione was enjoying the shoeless aspect of the island. She had never been one for shoes when she was a child and preferred to go without whenever she could. Just as she was about to reach the Mercantile, she noticed a strawberry blond girl levitating a rather large crate behind her as she entered the back of the store. She ignored her and walked in the front. The shop was even fuller than they were when she was here last time. While browsing the shelves, she heard the sound of tinkling glass. Following the sound, she reached the counter where Oliver Summerby was helping the strawberry blonde girl Hermione now recognized as Sarah Fawcett placing several bottles under the cabinet.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked curious as to why the bottles were being put under the counter and not on the shelves.

Oliver's head jerked up and his face drained of all of its color at the sound of her voice. "Umm…we were…um…"

"We were just putting away a shipment of juice." Sarah said quickly, trying to sound nonchalant.

Hermione knew something was up. "Why aren't you putting it on the shelves?"

"Because there isn't any room yet. We are going to have to have some new shelves built." Sarah replied.

"Oh," Hermione said, as she came around behind the cabinet. "What flavors do you have?"

Sarah paused and Oliver looked as if he wanted to bolt. "Um, well we have coconut flavored, and lemon, and um strawberry."

"Ooh, I love strawberry." Hermione announced picking up a bottle of strawberry juice. "Can I get a bottle?"

"Well…" Sarah started, obviously pleased with the proposition.

"Hermione!" an out of breath girl called from the door.

The tone the girl used startled the Hermione. "What?" She asked as she put the bottle down.

"Terry asked me to find you; we have a problem at the clinic."

"Alright, I'm coming!" Hermione said as she followed the frightened girl to the clinic.

When Hermione was gone, Sarah turned to Oliver and rolled her eyes. "Way to go Summerby! Why didn't you just announce to the entire bloody island that we just got our first shipment of Nott's new Flavored Liquors!"

Draco had just finished his breakfast when he realized the morning's hunting party had not returned yet. On a typical morning, they left their villages before dawn and returned around mid-morning with their game. Irritated at their forgetfulness, he had mounted his broom and zoomed off in the direction of their current hunting area. They had been so entranced by the Muggle hunting implements Dumbledore had provided, they tended to practice with the guns and bows in the mornings and resort to using magic in the evenings. The guys he supervised also rotated between hunting, fishing, and the Hire-a-Hunk. Today, the regular Hire-a-Hunk guys were on hunting duty. He hadn't been prepared for what he had found.

Hermione followed the lithe raven-haired girl to the clinic at break-neck speed. She could hear Draco's voice even before she burst through the bamboo doors. Instantly the smell of blood filled her nostrils. All six of the neatly constructed beds were full of beaten and bruised students. "What's happened Malfoy?" She demanded. "What can I do?"

"Not now, Granger! Just pick a bed and cast diagnostics. I have to stop the bleeding."

"Harry?" He heard Hermione moan when she recognized the busted glasses on a bloodied face. He directed the student-healers to bind the wounds he had just attended too before he made his way to Potter's bed where Hermione was frantically checking his bandages and accidentally opening up his wounds.

"Stop, Hermione." Draco whispered as he firmly grabbed her hands and pulled her away from her best friend. "He is fine."

"He is most certainly not fine!" She screamed at him while fighting to get back to Harry.

Draco hugged her struggling body close to him to keep her from hurting both of them. "Yes, Hermione, he is. I found him in the forest. I brought him back here and healed his wounds myself." She continued to try to escape him and only succeeded in taking them both to the floor where he continued to hold her close.

"His injuries weren't that bad to begin with, but he couldn't resist that Hero Complex of his and he tried to help the others before healing himself. It caused the cut in his side to open up and begin bleeding in earnest. I got there just as he passed out." Hermione began to calm down.

"As soon as I got the others here, I got to work on Potter. First I had to close up the cut across his left side." He realized that the more he told her, the calmer she got, so he described everything he had done for Potter in as much detail as possible. Right down to the Blood Replenishing Potion and Sleeping Draught he had given him before he had sent a girl after Hermione. When he felt her stop struggling, he nodded at Terry Boot, who cast a sleep-inducing charm on the Head Girl.

He struggled to his feet when he felt her go limp. "Thanks Boot." He said to the dark boy.

"No problem, Malfoy. I am just thankful she didn't see Ron or Seamus before you pulled her away."

Malfoy nodded. "Yeah, me too. Look, I am going to take her home and put her to bed. I am sure all of you are more than able to take care of things now."

Terry opened the door. "Thanks again Malfoy. I am not sure what we would have done if you hadn't been able to ID the leaves on that boar carcass so we could administer the antidote to the others."

"You are welcome. I will come by after I get her settled." He was about to walk out when he stopped. "Oh, and can you have one of yours send the Weasley girl to Hermione's hut. Make sure they don't tell her anything. I'll tell her when she gets there."

"She'll be there Malfoy."

"Thanks."

Twenty minutes later, Ginny dismounted her broom on Hermione's small porch and was shocked by what she saw. Hermione lay in the center of her bed, pale as a ghost, her unique palm fans flapping so fast, the redhead was just waiting for them to fall off.

Ginny jumped when she heard Malfoy's voice from the desk behind her right shoulder. "She likes to have a cool breeze on her face when she sleeps."

Draco looked awful. He had patches of dried blood on his chest and a few fresh bruises were blooming on his forearms. As Ginny got closer, she noticed the scratch marks. "What happened? Tell me what happened."

In an uncharacteristic monotone, Draco described in detail what he had kept from Hermione and the others. "I was hovering over the treetops when I saw him fall. The closer I got, I started to count the bodies. One, two, three, four, five, six. They were so pale against the green and the red. I was so scared they were dead, until I heard Potter moan, 'wild boar' Then I noticed the carcasses. I counted fifteen before I heard him moan again. He tried to get up and the cut in his side ripped open. Bloody complex. He healed the major cuts on the others before I got there and then passed out from the pain. I got them all to the clinic and healed him before I sent for her." He put his head in his hands.

"She was horrified when she walked in, but calm and wanting to help until she saw him. Thank Merlin, Boot had the sense to hide your brother and Seamus from her. They were more bruised and battered than truly hurt. She started to check the wounds I had just dressed and ended up causing more damage than good." He looked up at Ginny who was getting whiter and whiter as she backed towards the door.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Weasley. They are all fine. I personally administered potions for pain, blood replenishing, and sleep. Their wounds are healed and cleaned. Boot and his team are doing their best."

Ginny nodded. "Okay, so what happened to you?"

"Oh, the blood is from the guys and most of the scratches were from getting them to the clinic. The rest are from her along with the bruises. I had to hold her down to keep her from losing it. I held her as I told her the basics of what happened and how I treated each of Potter's wounds. Terry hit her with a sleeping charm when she stopped struggling and brought her here."

"Why do you need me?"

Draco rubbed his face. "I want someone she trusts here when she wakes up. I have to go back to the clinic and monitor their progress and continue to administer the antidote."

"Antidote? I thought they were attacked by wild boar?" Ginny asked, confused.

"They were. From what Oliver Summers told me before he passed out, they found a lone piglet and were going to bring it home. They didn't realize that the mother would come for the squealing piglet, or that the rather large pack had just eaten their way through a patch of wolfsbane. That particular plant causes an animal to go into a poison induced frenzy. There was poison on the tusks and teeth of the larger adults and that is what I am treating."

Ginny nodded. "I'll stay here with her. But I can't promise that she won't go straight to the clinic."

"That is fine with me but just make sure she knows what I told you first."


End file.
